Currently, there are no stores in Dana Point, California, that sell cats or dogs. And Mayor Lara Anderson took action to keep it that way.

The humane pet store trend continues as the Dana Point City Council unanimously approved the second reading of an ordinance introduced by Mayor Anderson, making it the latest town to enact legislation to ban the retail sales of cats and dogs. She hopes the ban will encourage the public to adopt from animal shelters or rescue groups.

“We still have too many dogs and cats ending up at shelters,” says Dana Point Mayor Lara Anderson. “We need to get away from this mindset that pets are disposable. It’s just shocking to me how many people unload their pets at the shelter right before Christmas. They’re not a toy you take off a shelf and bring home, play with and then throw away when you’re done. This is a living being. The idea that they’re somehow merchandise is part of the problem.” 

Dana Point, California, now joins 17 other cities in North America, including Glendale, Irvine and West Hollywood, California, that ban the retail sale of pets.

The Dana Point ordinance is to take effect in one month.

“Although Dana Point may not have been the first city to take a stand against puppy mills, it certainly will not be the last,” says Elizabeth Oreck Best Friends national manager, puppy mill initiatives. “Progressive, compassionate communities all across the country are recognizing that the purchases of puppies from pet stores only helps the puppy mill industry to thrive, and that limiting the opportunity to market those animals is one of the most effective ways to help eliminate the suffering of hundreds of thousands of dogs in mills.”

Best Friends’ puppy mill initiatives

Read about Best Friends’ puppy mill initiatives and learn about building awareness about inhumane conditions in puppy mills, encouraging people to adopt rather than buy pets, and advocating for better legislation to combat puppy mills.

Photo by Best Friends staff