We are excited to share that Salt Lake City is the latest to join over 80 American cities that ban commercially-bred sales of dogs, cats and rabbits in pet stores. Instead, adoptions from legitimate animal shelters and rescues will be encouraged or featured, as is happening in many areas.

Animals repeatedly inbred by commercial breeding operations (known as puppy or kitten mills) suffer horrifically cruel conditions because they are treated as machine-like objects for profit. They never know a compassionate human touch. Babies are taken from their mothers before being fully weaned, causing great emotional and physical pain, and further health complications. This also sends the mother into estrus more quickly for repeated breeding. When she is so sick and can no longer “produce” she is destroyed or thrown away.

Another serious consequence is while these mills churn out countless animals for sale, they contribute to the pet overpopulation crisis and tens of thousands of shelter euthanasias (of nearly 4 million animals killed each year.)  Don’t shop! Adopt and Spay/Neuter! United Spay Alliance strongly advocates fixing pets before their first heat cycle, especially for felines by five months.

What efforts are happening in your region to educate folks and to ban puppy mill sales? Learn more about puppy mills, kitten mills and rabbit mills.