SF to Ban All Sale of All Pets, Unless You Plan to Eat It

Posted by Cameron Heron on June 27, 2011 Leave a comment (0) Go to comments

Oh San Francisco, such a trendsetter, and this one is no different.

A push from animal activists, city supervisors will be considering a pet sale ban this month that will effectively make it illegal to sell any living animal within city limits.

Including goldfish.

But, the measure, named the Humane Pet Acquisition Proposal, has a few exceptions.

For those who like to kill their food and eat it too, the law still permits the sale of live animals for the purpose of consumption.

And pet lovers can still adopt pets, or purchase them from outside the city.

So, whats the sentiment behind the pet sale ban?

Mostly symbolic, the Los Angeles Times reports that supporters want to curb inhumane treatment, overpopulation, and cut back on tax money that goes to animal control.

While the law is probably legal, there are better ways to meet these goals than banning the sale of all pets within the city.

For one, banning puppy mills and kitten factories is a good place to start, as is setting standards for treatment of animals while living in a pet store.

For two, requiring that all pets that leave the home be microchipped so as to cut down on shelter overcrowding is a brilliant idea.

And for three, when animal rights activists speak about overpopulation in cities, they speak primarily about stray cats. That concern can be diminished if cats become inside-only pets so that they cannot breed.

Given these alternatives, the pet sale ban shouldnt pass. But its San Francisco, so who knows?