The Lake County (IL) Board is considering a resolution tomorrow (Tuesday, January 14) that would prohibit retail pet stores from selling any dogs or cats. Instead, they would only be allowed to provide animals from shelters or rescues.
Even if you do not personally provide dogs to pet stores, this resolution could have significant implications for all who want to promote the breeding and sale of healthy, purebred dogs.
Lake County residents are strongly encouraged to both attend the hearing and contact the board TODAY and express your concerns with the portion of Resolution 19-1949 that would restrict pet sales and consumer protection in the county. Scroll down for contact information.
Talking Points Against Pet Store Bans:
- Fewer than 4 percent of pets purchased in the US come from pet shops. These laws limit choice and will do little to address any issues associated with substandard breeders.
- This will ban the sale of pets from known, regulated and inspected sources, and restrict pet shops to only sell pets from unregulated and uninspected sources (i.e., shelters, rescues, and other similar organizations).
- This will dramatically reduce the average person’s access and ability to choose a pet with the predictable type, mandated care, and substantiated health background that come with purebred pets from regulated sources. Individuals who lack the resources or do not have access to private hobby breeders will be the most directly impacted.
- This will harm responsible pet breeders and retailers who are regulated under federal and/or state laws, while encouraging the sale of pets that come from unlicensed and unregulated sources that are not subject to federal animal welfare or Illinois consumer protection laws.
- This does not require shelters or rescues to supply pet shops with dogs to sell. A lack of supply will prove economically disastrous for these businesses and the people who are employed by them.
For additional talking points, read AKC’s position statement on Pet Choice, and the article Why Pet Shop Laws Affect You
What You Can Do:
Attend the January 14 meeting and express your concerns. The meeting details are as follows:
Lake County Board Meeting
Tuesday, January 14, 2020
9:00 am
18 N. County Street
Waukegan, IL 60085
Contact the Lake County Board TODAY and express your concerns:
Linda Peterson (District 1) – LPedersen@lakecountyil.gov
Diane Hewitt (District 2) – DHewitt@lakecountyil.gov
Dick Barr (District 3) – DBarr@lakecountyil.gov
Brent Paxton (District 4) – BPaxton@lakecountyil.gov
Judy Martini (District 5) – JMartini@lakecountyil.gov
John Wasik (District 6) – JWasik@lakecountyil.gov
Steve Carlson (District 7) – SCarlson@lakecountyil.gov
Bill Durkin (District 8) – BDurkin@lakecountyil.gov
Mary Ross-Cunningham (District 9) – MCunningham@lakecountyil.gov
Jessica Vealitzek (District 10) – JVealitzek@lakecountyil.gov
Paul Frank (District 11) – PFrank@lakecountyil.gov
S. Michael Rummel (District 12) – SRummel@lakecountyil.gov
Sandy Hart (District 13) – smhart@lakecountyil.gov
Angelo D. Kyle (District 14) – AKyle@lakecountyil.gov
Jennifer Clark (District 15) – JClark@lakecountyil.gov
Terry Wilke (District 16) – TWilke@lakecountyil.gov
Michael Danforth (District 17) – mdanforth@lakecountyil.gov
Julie Simpson (District 18) – JSimpson@lakecountyil.gov
Craig Taylor (District 19) – CTaylor@lakecountyil.gov
Adam R. Didech (District 20) – ADidech@lakecountyil.gov
Ann Maine (District 21) – AMaine@lakecountyil.gov
AKC Government Relations and the Illinois Federation of Dog Clubs and Owners continue to closely monitor this resolution. For more information, contact AKC GR at doglaw@akc.org.