Animal activists rejoice as Manatee County votes to ban retail sale of cats and dogs
The Manatee County Commission voted Tuesday to become the 11th Florida county to enact a ban on the retail sale of dogs and cats.
Animal advocates and opponents of the ban debated the issue for hours Tuesday afternoon. Those in favor of the ban made a case against alleged cases of inhumane practices at commercial breeder facilities, while others argued that the ban would unfairly target a private company’s business model.
Commissioners voted 4-3 to approve the ban. Commissioners Reggie Bellamy, Misty Servia, Carol Whitmore and George Kruse voted in favor, while Commissioners James Satcher, Kevin Van Ostenbridge and Vanessa Baugh cast dissenting votes.
The county’s proposal allows pet stores to continue the retail sale of cats and dogs for another year. The ban goes into effect on Aug. 10, 2022, for any store that is already selling the animals. An exemption was also made for animal welfare groups and shelters that provide adoptions without seeking to profit from the exchange.
More than 60 people took part in the fiery debate during an opportunity for the public to comment on the proposal. It’s the fifth time that Manatee County officials considered such a ban in recent years, led by Commissioner Carol Whitmore’s passion for animals.
“I’ve brought this up because the citizens are asking me about this request. We’re not here because we want to close a business down. We don’t support the model of the business,” Whitmore said.
Activists on both sides of the debate packed the County Commission chambers for a discussion that lasted more than five hours. On one side of the room, supporters wore yellow shirts that read “Vote yes for puppies,” while opponents on the other side of the room wore red shirts that read “Save our pet stores, save our jobs.”
More than two dozen animal welfare advocates spoke out against retail pet stores, such as Petland, that sell cats and dogs instead of offering them up for adoption. They accused the stores of sourcing from puppy mills that are known for poor treatment of their animals, they said.
Animal activists shared horror stories of young, expensive animals sold at Petland stores that quickly become ill with fatal diseases. Petland’s owners and employees in the chamber disputed those claims, pointing to successful sales that resulted in lifelong bonds between the animal and its buyer.
“There is no question of the cruelty and abuse that these animals endure before they are bought, not adopted,” said Nathan Levinson.
“If you believe that dogs are not abused or hurt in puppy mills, you need to visit one,” added Patty Engle. “They don’t want you to see what’s happening.”
But a large group of organizers also spoke against the ban, asking the board to focus their attention on puppy mills that break the rules instead of the retail stores.
“We all want to protect pets. This ordinance is off-target,” said Mark Barnebey, an attorney hired on behalf of both Petland stores in Manatee County. “Many jobs are on the line with this. It would be unfair to bring a death knell.”
Petland’s employees addressed the board as well. They spoke in favor of their employer and the way animals are treated in their stores. While Petland offers other services and pet products, local store owners predicted their shops would be forced to close because their business models rely heavily on the sale of cats and dogs.
“There is no doubt that this ban will put us out of business,” said Neal Benecke, a co-owner of the Bradenton Petland store.
According to Petland representatives, the company only does business with breeders approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. With the ban approved, around 50 employers will be laid off, they said.
“If you take away the retail sale of puppies, think about the consequence. The void will be filled with puppy mills and that’s why I’m against this ban,” said David Smith, a local veterinarian, who argued that the ban will push animal buyers to buy from unregulated sellers.
In an effort to find common ground, Petland’s legal team made a proposal that tweaks the ban to still allow for the retail sale of dogs and cats that were acquired from local breeders or breeders that are licensed by the USDA.
Commissioners shot down that proposal after highlighting that many of the issues reported at commercial breeder facilities stem from a lack of enforcement by USDA inspectors.
“If the USDA was doing their job, we wouldn’t even be having this discussion. I don’t like that local government is put in this position,” said Servia. “The situation today is that being USDA approved is not even meaningful.”
Other board members said they were uncomfortable approving a ban on retail sales that could lead businesses to shut down. They argued that they hadn’t seen enough evidence to prove that Petland and other pet stores are purchasing their animals from unsafe or inhumane facilities.
“We can say we’re not putting them out of business, but we don’t know that, do we? We don’t think we are. You’re allowing them to sell other products, but is it the role of government to tweak the business model of legitimately operating business in this county?” Van Ostenbridge asked.
“You have a board divided over what the real answer is here,” Baugh added. “I’m not saying I’m right or I’m wrong, but I’m not convinced.”
Despite the ban’s approval, commissioners say they see a legal challenge to their decision on the horizon.
“I can guarantee you this is not over with, regardless of which direction we go,” Bellamy said.
This story was originally published August 10, 2021 at 8:56 PM.
