Animal rescue experts react to stricter rules at Pinellas County pet stores after hundreds of violations

PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Pinellas County commissioners held a public hearing Tuesday on a proposal to tighten regulations on retail pet stores after officials identified hundreds of violations at stores such as Blue Sky Puppies over the summer.

Leaders approved several updates to the county’s code of ordinances aimed at improving animal welfare. The new rules range from tighter oversight of pet sales to new guidelines for how animal nuisance complaints are handled and reported.

The ordinance increased pet store inspections from once a year to twice annually, required solid flooring in 50% of puppy kennels and established formal protocols for veterinary care, disaster preparedness and sanitation. County officials say the changes are intended to improve animal welfare while giving consumers clearer information before purchasing a pet.

Rescue advocates say animals adopted through shelters and rescues often face fewer health complications than those purchased from retail pet stores.

“We’re here saving lives for the unwanted,” Angela Schab, rescue manager at Fluff Animal Rescue in Pinellas Park, said. “We’re taking those animals from lonely and unloved to forever families.”

Pet stores can charge people thousands of dollars for puppies, but animal rescue experts told 10 Tampa Bay News that adopting a dog here in Pinellas County could only set you back a few hundred dollars to bring them into your home, get them microchipped and have a better idea of what you’re going to get.

“There are a lot of resources that we have doing this for 10 years,” Kimmy Chandler, founder and president of Fluff Animal Rescue, said. “You see a lot of things happen. When you see people do adopt and return, a lot of times it’s because it wasn’t well thought out. That makes it very difficult for us because we don’t want to see that happen to the animal. We don’t want to see that happen to the family. It’s very hard on the family.”

Advocates encourage families to consider adoption rather than purchasing pets from stores.

When it comes to possibly buying from a store or breeder, “there are amazing people who are doing it to preserve the breed but there are puppy mills just pounding out puppies to sell for you for Christmas and they’re not going to stand behind them,” Chandler said.

Animal welfare groups also stress that families considering a new pet should be prepared for the responsibility involved.

“It’s always going to be a little bit of a leap of faith and trusting yourself and jumping in head first. Just being prepared with the essentials. Crates are a big thing we want to make sure every adopter has,” Schab said.

Another focus of the proposed changes is ensuring animals have appropriately sized kennel space and that potential virus outbreaks are identified and contained quickly.

One of the main focuses arising from the decision is ensuring animals have properly sized spaces in their kennels and that any potential virus threats are contained quickly through separation. 

Rescuers are urging residents not to treat pets as temporary or seasonal gifts.

The ordinance would also require retail pet stores to display veterinary certificates and information about Florida’s Pet Lemon Law on every kennel. The law gives buyers the right to a refund, reimbursement or exchange if a puppy is diagnosed with certain illnesses within specified time frames.