DETROIT (WXYZ) — Buying a pet shouldn’t be as easy as purchasing a sweater. This is why Detroit City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to outlaw the retail selling of dogs and cats.
According to Councilwoman Angela Whitfield Calloway, this new ordinance was born from public comment by residents concerned for the community.
EXTENDED VIDEO: Detroit City Council member talks more about the ban of retail pet stores in Detroit
The councilwoman says she didn’t know much about puppy mills, but after listening to community activists and animal control, the council members decided they needed to act.
“They were advocates along with us and making sure that we’re protecting not only animals, but the people that live in Detroit from these predatory, really scams with high interest rates and a lot of other hidden details just to secure that money from you,” said PAWS Friend Network founder and animal activist, Tiffany Perkins.
Activists said they understand how people can be fooled by these storefronts, especially when they look clean and put together when you walk in. However, there is a lot more cruelty under the surface.
“It really is about animal cruelty. It’s about the suffering that occurs before they make it into these pet shops and sometimes in the pet shops. Any type of cruelty is unacceptable in our community. And this is another example of this community banding together to help make sure that we can do what we can to prevent it,” said CEO and President of the Michigan Humane Society, Matt Pepper.
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