Following the lead of Canton, the Holly Springs City Council has voted to bar local pet shops from selling dogs and cats, but allows them to offer animals for adoption obtained from a shelter or rescue organization.
The ordinance amendment to the city’s business codes also prohibits pet shops from offering for adoption a dog or cat younger than eight weeks. It requires shops to maintain records documenting the source of their animals for at least one year, for inspection upon request by the city manager, police chief or other authorized person.
Pet shops that offer dogs or cats for adoption also must post signs listing the name of the shelter or rescue group that provided the animals.
In March, the Canton City Council barred dog and cat sales at pet shops within its jurisdiction, but allowed animals to be offered for adoption.
Canton’s ordinance, citing the Humane Society of the United States, said 10,000 puppy mills produce more than 1 million puppies a year, that most pet shop dogs and cats come from such sources, and that abuses have been documented with these sources.
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