At last night’s meeting of the Elizabethtown City Council, the Humane Society of the United States presented councilmembers with the Humane Council Award for a recent ordinance passed prohibiting the retail sale of dogs and cats in pet stores.
In October, Elizabethtown became the first community in Kentucky and 400th community nationwide to enact such an ordinance. Most puppies sold in pet stores come from large-scale, inhumane commercial dog breeding operations known as “puppy mills.” The city council unanimously approved the humane pet store ordinance, which a broad range of community stakeholders ranging from the Hardin County Animal Shelter to local pet stores who do not sell animals supported.
“We are so appreciative of this honor from the HSUS. Elizabethtown is proud to lead the way in Kentucky in the fight against puppy mills with this ordinance,” said Councilmember Julia Springsteen who sponsored the ordinance. “We hope this will inspire others to take action to protect animals in their communities and beyond.”
“We are proud to recognize Elizabethtown for their leadership on this issue,” said Todd Blevins, Kentucky state director for the HSUS. “For far too long, Kentucky has lagged far behind other states in enacting strong animal protection laws. This is an important step in the right direction, and we hope other communities will follow suit.”
The ordinance also prohibits the sale of dogs and cats in outdoor settings such as flea markets or roadside stands.