Sadly, many cities don’t have restrictions on the sales of puppy mill puppies at pet stores, so many people buy them unknowingly. However, Colorado is working hard to pass laws against these horrible facilities. Berthoud recently became the first city in Colorado to ban the sales of puppy mill puppies at pet stores, and Breckenridge recently had a similar ban. It’s not just going to stop there though. More cities are already considering puppy mill bans.
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Many dedicated pet owners think that the horrors of puppy mills are a well-known topic by now, but the sad reality is that many people are still unaware of what goes on in these facilities. Newer dog parents and families that have never owned a dog before have possibly never even heard of puppy mills. These people are the most likely to purchase a puppy mill puppy which is why it is so important to educate them before it happens.
Colorado’s New Laws
Berthoud and Breckenridge both have laws preventing pet stores from selling puppy mill puppies. Luckily, neither of these cities even have pet stores that sell puppies at the moment. However, the law is important to prevent any future puppy mill sales from taking place.
Joyce Cohen is a retired lawyer that initially lobbied for Breckenridge to ban puppy mill sales. She is on a mission to make sure that all Colorado cities do the same in the near future. Cohen explains that anyone can go to a city council meeting, so anyone can try to make a difference.
“There’s some kind of emotional wrongdoing on a human being’s part for letting this continue,” said Bethoud’s mayor. “I think taking a moral stand on this is really important.”
Cohen’s brother, Larry, has been doing the same thing for cities in New Jersey. He is a volunteer legislative coordinator for the Humane Society of the United States. So far, he’s passed more than two dozen ordinances banning puppy mill sales in New Jersey.
Currently, officials in Dillon are discussing a similar ordinance. They scheduled the reading of this ordinance to take place in November. Hopefully, they will come to the same results as Berthoud and Breckenridge.
Getting Rid of Puppy Mills Forever
Of course, Cohen is working hard to put an end to puppy mills forever, but it will be a long process. Every person that brings attention to puppy mills is helping. Getting rid of all puppy mills permanently might not be possible, but with laws in place against them, the number of puppy mills should start to decrease.
If you get the chance, warn others about puppy mills. Their horrible actions might seem obvious to you, but there could be a newer dog parent out there that is unaware of them.
Therefore, it is important to keep bringing up these issues in hopes to put an end to them once and for all. Cohen’s actions are just the start of a desperately needed ban that should take place everywhere, not just in Colorado.
Featured Image: Screenshot, kdvr.com
H/T: kdvr.com
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