HomeMy WebLinkAboutCathleen Powell 9.29.21 Attachment 3Dear Mayor Pavone, Council Members, and City Planning staff,
On behalf of the animal shelters and rescues listed below, who serve the King County community,
we urge the City of Renton to pass a Humane Ordinance to stop existing retail pet stores from
partnering with commercial breeders to sell unaltered puppies in our city.
The issue is not the store, it’s the business model.Increasing regulations and conducting inspections at
the store level doesn’t get to the root of the problem:a business model that preys on unsuspecting
consumers, locks them into predatory loans, and perpetuates the unethical sourcing of puppies from
high-volume puppy mills. Renton’s many successful pet stores such as Petsmart, Petco, Pet Pros, and
Mud Bay illustrate that focusing on pet supplies,food, and services instead of selling puppies from
dubious breeding facilities is an ethical – and lucrative - business model.
Humane ordinances protect people first.The goal of this Humane Ordinance is to address the
intersection of consumer protection and animal welfare.It puts an end to the problems puppy-selling
pet stores pose: misleading information on the quality of breeders, overpriced puppies, false health
and behavior guarantees, and financing with exorbitant interest rates.
Eight jurisdictions in Washington have already enacted humane pet sale laws at the local level. They
provide existing puppy-selling pet stores with a grace period to change their business model, ensuring
they can remain open if they wish. We ask the City of Renton to join these municipalities in leading the
charge on this important issue.
By passing a Humane Ordinance, the City of Renton shields consumers from high-pressure sales tactics
and predatory lending -and takes a stand against the brutality of puppy mills. Please let Renton
residents know that their City values consumer protection and supports a thriving – and ethical –
business community.
Sincerely,