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Banning the sale of dogs in South Lake Tahoe moved one step closer to becoming a reality.
City council unanimously voted Tuesday for staff to develop an ordinance banning the retail sale of dogs to prevent the sale of puppy mill-bred dogs in the city.
In addition, the city intends to include a ban on cat sales in the draft ordinance, said City Manager David Jinkens.
Council thought a complete ban is the best of three options Los Angeles-based lawyers Laurence Wiener and Serita Holness developed for the city.
In addition to the complete ban, the alternatives included collecting a licensing fee from pet stores to pay for independent inspections of a puppy’s breeding facility or requiring independent veterinarian exams of puppies upon arrival at a pet store.
Inspecting breeding facilities would be difficult if not impossible, said Councilman Hal Cole.
The complete ban represents the “easiest and most direct” way to prevent the sale of puppy mill-bred dogs, Cole added.
The possible ban should not prevent private breeders from operating in the city, Jinkens said.
Councilman Bruce Grego asked what would happen to the one store in South Lake Tahoe that sells puppies, Broc’s Puppies, if council were to approve such a ban.
City Attorney Catherine DiCamillo said Grego’s concern is one that the ordinance needs to address.
A phasing-out schedule for existing stores should be included in the ordinance, DiCamillo said.
Some South Shore animal advocates have claimed that Broc’s is selling puppy mill-bred dogs, but operators of the store have denied the allegations.
A representative of Broc’s filled out a card to speak at Tuesday’s meeting, but was not at the meeting when the council reached the puppy mill item in the afternoon.
A draft ordinance is expected to come before council for a vote in January.
City council unanimously voted Tuesday for staff to develop an ordinance banning the retail sale of dogs to prevent the sale of puppy mill-bred dogs in the city.
In addition, the city intends to include a ban on cat sales in the draft ordinance, said City Manager David Jinkens.
Council thought a complete ban is the best of three options Los Angeles-based lawyers Laurence Wiener and Serita Holness developed for the city.
In addition to the complete ban, the alternatives included collecting a licensing fee from pet stores to pay for independent inspections of a puppy’s breeding facility or requiring independent veterinarian exams of puppies upon arrival at a pet store.
Inspecting breeding facilities would be difficult if not impossible, said Councilman Hal Cole.
The complete ban represents the “easiest and most direct” way to prevent the sale of puppy mill-bred dogs, Cole added.
The possible ban should not prevent private breeders from operating in the city, Jinkens said.
Councilman Bruce Grego asked what would happen to the one store in South Lake Tahoe that sells puppies, Broc’s Puppies, if council were to approve such a ban.
City Attorney Catherine DiCamillo said Grego’s concern is one that the ordinance needs to address.
A phasing-out schedule for existing stores should be included in the ordinance, DiCamillo said.
Some South Shore animal advocates have claimed that Broc’s is selling puppy mill-bred dogs, but operators of the store have denied the allegations.
A representative of Broc’s filled out a card to speak at Tuesday’s meeting, but was not at the meeting when the council reached the puppy mill item in the afternoon.
A draft ordinance is expected to come before council for a vote in January.
