In 2015, I led the effort to stop the sale of puppy mill puppies in pet stores in Camden County. When a constituent brought the issue to my attention, as both a county commissioner and an animal lover, I was simply horrified by the animal welfare and consumer protection issues posed by puppy-selling pet stores. I knew I had to stop the cruelty, sick puppy sales and deceptive practices.
Now, I respectfully implore my elected colleagues in Trenton to stand up for New Jersey consumers and families with pets by swiftly passing S.2511 and A.4051. It is broadly supported bipartisan legislation promoting humane pet businesses and responsible acquisition of pets. Forty-eight New Jersey pet businesses support this bill, as do our state’s nonprofit community including numerous animal shelters and rescue organizations, as well as consumer protection groups and veterinary professionals.
Let’s be honest: there is nothing controversial about this legislation. Only those who profit from the cruel puppy mill-to-pet store pipeline are fighting it and thousands of New Jerseyans have voiced support for this bill. The number of New Jersey pet stores that support banning the retail sale of puppies far exceeds the number of stores that sell puppies.
Those that choose to sell puppies are an outlier in their own industry. No consumer needs a pet shop to obtain a puppy, and no pet shop needs to sell puppies to stay in business, as evident by most pet retailers and responsible breeders in New Jersey and nationwide, which employ the business model supported by this bill.
The fact that there are only 16 puppy-selling pet stores left in New Jersey shows that selling dogs like products is an outdated and unwanted business model. Under S.2511 and A.4051 those stores will have adequate time to transition to a new business model and find loving homes for the pets in their care. They’ll be able to sell pet products, offer in-demand services like grooming and day care, and partner with shelters and rescues to host adoption events. It’s a lucrative business model. According to industry experts, the pet products and services industry is booming and is expected to continue to grow. This is the trend consumers, lawmakers and responsible businesses are supporting.
In the nine years since we enacted our humane pet store ordinance in Camden County, incredible strides have been made. This commonsense policy is now also commonplace. Eight states, including New York, have enacted statewide prohibitions on the sale of dogs and cats in pet stores. In New Jersey alone, 145 cities, towns and counties passed humane pet store ordinances. An additional 10 counties have endorsed the A.4051/S.2511 legislation through Commissioner Board resolutions urging the state Legislature to pass this bill.
It is simply unacceptable that parts of New Jersey remain open to puppy mills. Public records paint a horrifying picture of the breeding facilities across the Midwest from which New Jersey pet stores source their puppies. Dogs are treated like nothing more than breeding machines and they suffer immensely, year after year, to keep pet store cages full.
None of us would let our pets be treated this way, and no Garden State resident would knowingly support this cruelty. While the animal suffering alone should be reason enough to pass this bill into law, this legislation will also protect consumers.
Far too many New Jersey residents have been duped into buying these cruelly bred puppies. Many have ended up with a pet that is sick, injured, or genetically disordered. Others have also fallen victim to the predatory lending that often accompanies the pet store sales pitch, as few can afford a puppy for thousands of dollars outright.
Stopping the sale of puppy mill puppies in New Jersey pet stores is long overdue. I urge my friends and colleagues in the New Jersey Legislature to ensure S.2511 and A.4051 are signed into law this year.
Camden County Commissioner Jeffrey Nash is the original author of Norman’s Law and a crusading animal advocate.
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