Virginia Regulatory Town Hall
Agency
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
 
Board
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
 
chapter
Regulations for the Inspection of Pet Shops Selling Dogs or Cats [2 VAC 5 ‑ 105]
Action Promulgate regulation required by Chapter 1284 of the 2020 Acts of Assembly
Stage Proposed
Comment Period Ended on 12/23/2022
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11/14/22  6:23 pm
Commenter: Kara Williams

Pet store regulations
 

Please improve the regulation of pet stores to require documentation of the animals they sell -- vet records, where the animal came from, and preferably only shelter animals should even be "sold" in stores. There are so many homeless animals and the taxpayer funded shelters are constantly overcrowded and having to turn away or euthanize animals. Also, rabbits should never be sold in stores especially if they are not spayed or neutered! They end up having litters and being dumped outside by irresponsible owners. Please stop trying to put band aids on this problem and just end the sale of breeders' / puppy (or cat or rabbit or bird, etc.) mill animals. One man in Michigan recently surrendered over 600 parakeets to shelters and rescues in Michigan because he started out with a few and thought it would be fun to let them breed. The birds were sickly, dying, malnourished, and worse. It is not ok to support the breeding and overpopulating of domesticated companion animals. We must support adoption, spaying/neutering, and responsible lifelong care of the animals who have no choice but to be entirely dependent on the whims and choices of humans. Thank you. 

CommentID: 205229