The city of Coquitlam is calling on higher levels of government to implement legislation restricting the sale of dogs, cats and other animals in stores.
Council voted unanimously (Coun. Craig Hodge was not present) to craft a letter to send to the province and the Union of BC Municipalities asking for tougher rules around the retail sales of pets.
Restrictions would still allow residents to adopt cats, dogs and rabbits from reputable breeders and through animal rescues and shelter organizations.
“Puppy mills, they sell to the pet stores,” said Coun. Mae Reid, who brought up the issue during Monday’s council-in-committee meeting. “The pet stores are their outlet for getting all these pets out.”
But the measures stop short of a full bylaw restricting sales in Coquitlam that was originally sought by Reid, similar to regulations recently passed in the city of Vancouver. New Westminster and Richmond have similar bylaws, as do several municipalities across Canada and the United States.
“I would like to follow Vancouver’s rules,” she said during the meeting.
But several councillors questioned the legality of a city restricting the sale of certain product within its boundaries. Staff acknowledged that animal welfare falls under provincial jurisdiction and that a bylaw passed by a city council could face legal challenges.
“I have never had an issue with the idea of prohibiting something like this,” said Mayor Richard Stewart, “our challenge is that I don’t know if we can.”
In the letter, which Stewart said he would write with the assistance of staff and Reid, the city is looking for Victoria to either pass legislation or give cities the power to implement their own regulations around retail animal sales.
This is not the first time pet store restrictions have come up at the city of Coquitlam. In 2012, an explosion in the wild rabbit population prompted council to pass a bylaw banning stores from selling unsterilized bunnies, which often ended up abandoned in city parks. Under the regulations, anyone who sells unsterilized rabbits could be fined $500.
@gmckennaTC
