A humane pet store ordinance in Shoreview is now in effect following city council approval. The ordinance will regulate pet stores and prohibit them from selling cats or dogs.
“Given that the city does not currently have a pet store, the council felt that it was a good proactive measure to adopt an ordinance at this time,” said Assistant City Manager Renee Eisenbeisz.
According to Eisenbeisz, several cities in Minnesota have adopted humane store ordinances, with the most recent cities being Columbia Heights, Coon Rapids and Maple Grove. The ordinances were created based on research that shows a significant number of puppies and kittens sold at pet stores come from large-scale commercial breeding facilities that don’t adequately provide for the health and welfare of the animals.
There are no federal or state regulations that address this situation.
During the Nov. 4, 2024, city council meeting, two individuals spoke under citizen comments, requesting that the city consider adopting a humane pet store ordinance. The city council spoke about the possibility of adopting the ordinance at its March 17, 2025, workshop and directed staff to bring an ordinance to a future meeting for consideration.
Ordinance 1054 amends Chapter 6, which covers animal control. The ordinance will add Section 6-3, pet store regulations. Under this section, pet stores will not be able to sell cats or dogs and can work with animal rescue organizations, shelters or containment facilities to host adoption events for dogs and cats.
While pet stores will be able to host adoption events, they must follow parameters. A certificate of source must be posted near the kennels or enclosures. Dogs cannot be kept overnight during adoption events. Pet stores can keep cats overnight, but there must be a plan in place for care and monitoring of the cats outside of business hours.
“The reason for the difference between keeping dogs and cats overnight is because cats can be comfortably kept in smaller enclosures with access to food, water and a litter box, whereas dogs need larger spaces and require walks and bathroom breaks,” Eisenbeisz said.
Lino Lakes resident Megan Helling, whose parents and sister reside in Shoreview, expressed her gratitude to the council for passing a humane pet store ordinance.
“Thank you so much for considering this because, as I talked about in the past, this is not only about animal welfare, but it’s also about consumer protections,” Helling said.
Helling said that she and her husband purchased a yellow Labrador from a north metro pet store. Shortly afterward, he began having seizures and was unable to walk for more than a few blocks without lying down. This caused her to look at where the dog came from. She found out that he came from a puppy mill and a puppy broker.
“I believe that Monty’s health issues were due to the environment for which he was bred, due to the fact that there was no consideration given, it was about profit. Then families who end up purchasing these dogs carry that heartache,” Helling said. “I’m excited that more communities are acknowledging that.”
The council approved the ordinance in a unanimous 5-0 vote.
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