Proactive Education of Pet Owners Is the Answer
Chicago, IL— The Companion Animal and Consumer Protection Ordinance introduced to the Chicago City Council on February 5, 2014 is scheduled for a hearing by the Licensing Commission at 11am on February 26, 2014. This proposed ordinance has an impact on the pets, the pet owners, and the small businesses in the community.
Veterinarians and veterinary hospitals routinely provide the adoption of animals through their own facilities. Veterinarians passionately support the adoption of healthy, well socialized animals to loving, responsible individuals and families from private, charitable, nonprofit humane society or animal rescue organizations. However, consumers do not look to rescue or shelter adoption for purebred puppies and kittens.
The Chicago Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) strongly believes that ongoing education is a much more effective method to increase pet owner awareness and bring about the desired positive change necessary to address valid concerns regarding unethical, unscrupulous breeders who are the ultimate problem.
Regarding the protection of the consumer, we base our concerns on the following facts:
- IL Public Act 098-0509 exists to protect the pet owners in the City of Chicago and State of Illinois. The Act provides for pet retailer penalties and remedies for consumers that purchase pets with medical problems;
- Smaller ‘hobbyist’ or backyard breeders, AKC breeders, and breeders or parties that offer pets for sale over the internet or in the newspaper are not regulated by this ordinance;
- A consumer purchasing a pet from a retail pet store has greater degree of protection due to IL Public Act 098-0509 than a consumer answering an advertisement for puppies in a newspaper or from a local breeder;
- A pet sold in a pet store has the greatest chance of receiving the highest quality veterinary care should it become ill within the first year of life as a result of IL Public Act 098-0509;
- The City of Chicago may further control standards of care in pet stores through business licensing applications issued annually;
- The elimination of consumer choice through prohibiting puppy and kitten sales in reputable pet stores can result in consumers and pets suffering from a lack of regulation when seeking alternative, unregulated sources outside City of Chicago limits and possibly outside the State of Illinois; and
- In the case of prohibiting the retail sale of puppies or kittens, consumers will find other resources for the purebred or even mix bred puppies or kittens; the City of Chicago currently oversees the standard of care in pets stores through their licensing and inspection process.
The laws of unintended consequences can occur in situations where these ordinances have been passed with the best of intentions.
Veterinarians are specifically trained in addressing the well-being of animals, and are the best resource for educating individuals and families on responsible pet ownership from birth to death.
The CVMA welcomes the opportunity to work with the City of Chicago on a proactive public education campaign for the long term good of all pet owners and residents.
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The CVMA is an association of over 1000 veterinarians and 4000 support staff who lovingly assist more than one million Chicago area pets and their families.
The membership of the CVMA is dedicated to the health and well-being of animals through its nurturing of the human animal bond. The CVMA will strive to fulfill the diversified needs of its members by providing nationally recognized CE programs, cultivating membership involvement, and offering innovative member services and exemplary public awareness.
Since 1896, the CVMA has continued a proud tradition of providing its members with vital services and programs which have expanded dramatically over a century to meet the ever-changing needs of the veterinary profession and its diverse patients and clients.