In response to concerns over pets on sale at retail stores, Manatee County will require pet stores and breeders to register with the county and undergo multiple inspections per year.
Manatee County officials have tussled over policies that govern pet sales in recent years. County authorities banned the retail sale of cats and dogs in 2021, then undid the policy change under the duress of a lawsuit by two local Petland stores and the election of new county leadership.
Tuesday’s vote does not implement a ban but rather creates a local government system to inspect and enforce standards set for the retail sale of dogs and cats as well as local breeders. Stores and breeders will be required to register with the county as part of the board’s action.
Previously:Manatee County reverses ban on the retail sale of dogs and cats
Before that:Manatee County bans retail sale of dogs and cats
Pet sales retail stores and breeders required to register with Manatee County
Sarah Brown, Deputy Director for Community and Veterans Services, explained that updated the county’s animal ordinance requires pet stores that sell dogs and cats to register with Manatee County and undergo an inspection before approval of a county license.
Registration and licensing are free, but affected parties will need to renew their registration annually and undergo the inspection at least twice per year. Violations can result in warnings, fines, suspensions, or revocation of the license through similar procedures as those already in use for county code enforcement. The decision was classified as an emergency order, meaning it goes into effect immediately.
“Currently, the lack of ability to enforce properly is a rapidly worsening issue that we are trying to address,” Brown said. “There has been a large increase in breeders. Recently we seized 26 dogs that were living in deplorable conditions. One of the dogs actually had a fish matted into the hair.”
“Not many counties do this, it’s a different step it’s a different approach but it’s holding people accountable, it’s setting the standard and it’s going to equip us with enforcement mechanisms to significantly improve oversight of pet stores and breeders.”
New policies are the latest twist in a long tale for retail pet sales in Manatee
Commissioners banned the retail sale of dogs and cats in 2021 at a meeting where nearly 60 residents, advocates and business owners lined up for public comment. It was largely championed by former longtime Manatee County Commissioner Carol Whitmore, who was voted out of office during the 2022 election.
It was the second time the matter had been presented to the board, but the first time supporters of the ban prevailed.
Two local Petland stores filed lawsuits against the county in 2022 to challenge the policy, but it was eventually dropped after a newly elected majority of the board reversed the ban. That effort was largely championed by current Manatee County Chairman Mike Rahn during his first year in office, before his chairmanship. He was elected in 2022, and he received political donations from retail stores involved in the lawsuit.
Rahn, however, also championed new policies implemented to govern the sale of dogs and cats approved Tuesday.
“This has been needed for a while,” Rahn said. “We do have a huge increase in breeders … and there is no ordinance or there has been no teeth in this thing to oversee that.”
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