SAN DIEGO, Calif., May 1, 2013 – San Diego takes one step closer to stopping the puppy mill cycle by considering a ban on the retail sale of companion animals. These actions mirror other initiatives, spearheaded by Companion Animal Protection Society (CAPS), in cities across the US and Canada.

The City Council of San Diego meets today to consider an Office of the City Attorney's draft of a CAPS proposed ordinance prohibiting the sale of factory-bred dogs, cats and rabbits in retail stores within San Diego. Over 30 cities across the country, a number of them in California like West Hollywood, Glendale, Irvine, and Los Angeles, passed similar legislation.

The Council's Committee on Public Safety and Neighborhood Services meeting includes a discussion of the ordinance details and supporting evidence. CAPS formally introduced the ordinance on March 13, but talks between the City of San Diego and CAPS began as far back as June, 2012. A group of other animal welfare organizations formed later to assist this effort.

David Salinas, owner of San Diego Puppy, will be represented by Mike Canning, CEO of Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council, and is expected to speak against the ordinance. According to various sources they will argue shelters and rescues are trying take down the competition by pushing legislation. CAPS own investigation into Salinas' various business, including his pet shop and earlier online ventures, concluded he obtained dogs from known puppy mills.

The meeting will take place today (May 1, 2013) at 2:00 PM PST. Marti Emerald is the current Public Safety and Neighborhood Services chairperson.

Location: Council Committee Room, 12 Floor,
City Administration Building 202 C Street,
San Diego, California.

Contact CAPS for more information about the ordinance, investigations into San Diego area pet shops, or CAPS ongoing national awareness campaign (Models Against Pet Shops and Puppy Mills):  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Companion Animal Protection Society speaks out against the Hazzard County Squirrel Slam in Holley, New York.
HOLLEY, NY, February 1, 2013- The annual Hazzard County Squirrel Slam may be a fundraiser for the Holley Fire Department, but for animal lovers everywhere the event is a nightmare. Companion Animal Protection Society, a national non-profit dedicated to protecting companion animals of all species, is calling for a boycott of the event and a global campaign to stop it.

Los Angeles - The Companion Animal Protection Society has launched an investigation of the San Bernardino department of animal control after a video of an injured dog impounded at the shelter went viral on social media. The animal protection group, a national non-profit that  primarily investigates pet factory cruelty, was alerted to the injured dog by dozens of complaints to their L.A. office.

For Immediate Release

Barkworks Pet Store Folds Under Pressure From Anti- Pet Shop/Puppy Mill Nonprofit

Following a protracted anti-puppy mill campaign by The Companion Animal Protection Society, the Barkworks pet store in Los Angeles’ Westside Pavilion will be closing.

LOS ANGELES – The Westside Pavilion location of Barkworks, the largest pet shop chain in the Los Angeles area, is closing for good on Monday. Barkworks has been the target of investigations and campaign outreach by the Companion Animal Protection Society (CAPS), a national nonprofit whose primary focus is the pet shop and puppy mill industry.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (Oct. 31, 2012) -- LA's City Council voted to ban commercially bred pets in the city's pet shops.

A landmark ordinance, spearheaded by the Companion Animal Protection Society (CAPS), officially passed on Wednesday. The ban was the result of years of pressure from non-profit organizations like CAPS to curb the influx of puppy mill dogs into big cities. In February of last year, CAPS provided the Los Angeles City Council with the results of its two year investigation into LA's retail pet stores and the commercial breeding facilities – mostly from the Midwest and rural California – that supplied them.

The undercover investigation included video and photographic evidence of puppy mill operators who routinely violated federal law – Animal Welfare Act (AWA) – as well as state laws protecting animals. CAPS uncovered evidence that many of LA's pet retailers still purchased and supported commercial breeders. Most of these puppy mills were neglectful and abusive to their animals, repeatedly violated USDA minimum standard of care, and often bred sickly or subpar dogs. CAPS also discovered that LA's pet stores were misleading unsuspecting consumers by selling them sick and dying animals.

In addition to the undercover investigations, CAPS organized hundreds of protests in Los Angeles pet stores that also put pressure on local officials to act against puppy mills. CAPS led a landmark protest in 2009 inside the Westside Pavilion Mall in Los Angeles against one of seven Barkworks stores, which set the stage for a long campaign in the Southern California. CAPS broke new ground in the California animal protection movement by invoking the more expansive California Constitution to legally protest inside a mall, which is a de facto public forum under California case law.

CAPS continued its Barkworks campaign by holding several more protests at three malls, often with more than 100 participants. One of our unique protests included more than 70 inner city public high school students who got involved after learning about the puppy mill-pet shop-shelter connection from CAPS. CAPS' campaigns in the Los Angeles area also pushed several retailers into switching to a humane business model, on which part of the LA ordinance is based. In an eight-month period, four stores stopped selling puppy mill dogs and began offering animals from shelters and rescue organizations.

“After eight years of investigations and protests, we are satisfied and optimistic about breaking the blood money contracts between puppy mill owners who abuse animals and L.A. pet retailers. This ordinance will relieve mill animals and help save the lives of animals who are killed at Los Angeles Animal Services. The 2011-2012 body count is unacceptable, with 9,056 dogs and 12,061 cats killed in our shelters. We are relieved that finally, the cries of L.A.’s shelter animals have been heard. Puppy mills and cruel pet factories will fade into history at last," said Companion Animal Protection Society West Coast Director Carole Raphaelle Davis.

The legislation is particularly important because it makes LA the largest city in the US and Canada to ban pet stores from selling dogs, cats and rabbits from commercial breeders. CAPS has consistently supplied reliable evidence to cities determined to stop puppy mills from selling dogs to their communities. Our West Hollywood, California ordinance banning the sale of pet shop puppies and kittens received worldwide media coverage and was the genesis for the now growing ordinance movement in both this country and Canada.

There are ordinances banning the sale of pet shop puppies and kittens in California, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, New Mexico, Texas and Canada. We assisted with the by-law in Richmond, British Columbia, which was the inspiration for the recently passed by-law in Toronto. CAPS also worked with Legislator Jon Cooper in Suffolk County before he withdrew his proposed ordinance due to state preemption, which CAPS is now trying to get removed from the state lemon law.

The West Hollywood ordinance, which passed in February of 2010, was possible because of the relentless work of the CAPS West Cost team, which submitted CAPS undercover investigation of the local pet shop and the atrocious Wensmann puppy mill in Minnesota that supplied this pet shop. CAPS was subsequently involved with getting pet shop ordinances passed in Glendale and Irvine, Calif. CAPS was recently involved in getting the first pet shop ordinance passed in Illinois and is working on other municipalities in the Chicago area. Sarasota County, which has three pet shops, is also on the agenda.

The LA ban was introduced by Councilman Paul Koretz, a West Hollywood Council member from 2000 to 2006 and a longtime supporter of animal rights. The measure will give a much needed boost to the overburdened municipal shelter system, which currently has thousands of pets ready for adoption.

“Finally, an end to rabbits bred in cruel pet factories who are then trucked to unscrupulous retail animal dealers here in L.A., only to live out their sad lives in a cage. We have high hopes that consumers will now gladly turn to the shelters to adopt homeless and sterilized rabbits,” said President of Bunny World Foundation Lejla Hadzimuratovic.

A landmark ordinance, spearheaded by CAPS, passed 12 to 2 in Los Angeles prohibiting the sale of commercially breddogs, cats, and rabbits in pet stores.

In February of last year, CAPS provided L.A.’s City Council with the results of its two-year investigation into L.A.’s retail pet stores and the California and Midwest commercial breeding factories that supply them. The undercover investigation included video and photographic evidence of puppy mill operators who routinely violated federal law (Animal Welfare Act) as well as state laws to protect animals. CAPS uncovered evidence that L.A.’s pet retailers are currently in business with commercial breeders (puppy mills) who are neglecting and abusing animals, repeatedly violating USDA minimum standards of care. CAPS also discovered that L.A.’s pet stores are fraudulently selling sick and dying animals that come from substandard commercial breeding facilities and misleading consumers.

In addition to its undercover operations, CAPS organized hundreds of protests at Los Angeles pet stores, converting several retailers to a humane business model on which the L.A. ordinance is based. Dogs, cats and rabbits from rescue organizations and our municipal shelter system will now have the opportunity to be adopted by the public in L.A.’s pet stores.

The city attorney’s office has informed CAPS that the sales ban ordinance will officially take effect after next week when it goes for a final vote with a “super majority.”

“After eight years of investigations and protests, we are satisfied and optimistic about breaking the blood money contracts between puppy mill owners who abuse animals and L.A. pet retailers. This ordinance will relieve mill animals and help save the lives of animals who are killed at Los Angeles Animal Services. The 2011-2012 body count is unacceptable, with 9,056 dogs and 12,061 cats killed in our shelters. We are relieved that finally, the cries of L.A.’s shelter animals have been heard. Puppy mills and cruel pet factories will fade into history at last.” Carole Raphaelle Davis, West Coast Director, Companion Animal Protection Society.

“Finally, an end to rabbits bred in cruel pet factories who are then trucked to unscrupulous retail animal dealers here in L.A., only to live out their sad lives in a cage. We have high hopes that consumers will now gladly turn to the shelters to adopt homeless and sterilized rabbits.” –Lejla Hadzimuratovic President of Bunny World Foundation

By: Carole Raphaelle Davis, 
West Coast Director, Companion Animal Protection Society

www.caps-web.org

www.rivierarescue.blogspot.com 

www.hollywooddog.blogspot.com

www.HollywoodJinky.com

More information: 
CAPS Ordinances
CAPS on Barkworks
LA City Ordinance - Council File No. 11-0754
CAPS on Humane Stores

Alvin Zimmerman
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
Nov. 16, 2007
Department of Agriculture
Commonwealth News Bureau
Room 308, Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg, PA 17120
CONTACT: Nicole L. Cullison
(717) 787-5085

UNION COUNTY KENNEL CHARGED, DOGS SURRENDERED

State Dog Wardens, Humane Officers Remove 29 Dogs from Lewisburg Kennel

HARRISBURG - State dog wardens helped humane officers to recover 29 dogs from an unlicensed Union County facility as part of Governor Edward G. Rendell's effort to crack down on unsatisfactory kennels, the Department of Agriculture said today.

On Nov. 13, state dog wardens visited Fairview kennel in Lewisburg to investigate a complaint about the facility operating without a license. The wardens found 29 of the 40 dogs were dirty, matted and living in unsanitary conditions, including excess fecal matter.

The owner, Alvin Zimmerman, is being charged by the wardens for operating a kennel without a license and failing to maintain sanitary conditions.

Jessie Smith, the state's special deputy for dog law, said any kennel with more than 26 dogs per year must obtain a license and be inspected annually.

"The conditions of the kennel were unsatisfactory and without a license it could not continue to operate," said Smith. "Upon finding evidence of poor sanitation, the wardens immediately contacted humane officers who removed the dogs."

Zimmerman previously held a kennel license, which was surrendered in 2006 due to problems with the kennel, including sanitation and cleaning deficiencies. Following the surrender of his license, Zimmerman voluntarily reduced the number of dogs housed. Smith said sometime between the kennel license revocation in 2006 and the inspection this month, Zimmerman increased the number of dogs at the kennel to more than is allowed by law.

In October 2006, Governor Rendell announced sweeping changes to the state's dog law and regulations. The Governor also took actions to increase the enforcement of current laws by naming Smith as a special deputy, hiring a special prosecutor, and increasing the number of dog wardens.

For more information on Pennsylvania's dog law, and to access kennel inspection records, visit www.agriculture.state.pa.us/padoglaw .

** PLEASE SUPPORT AB 2743 **

- THIS IMPORTANT BILL WILL PROHIBIT CALIFORNIA LANDLORDS FROM REQUIRING TENANTS TO DECLAW THEIR CATS OR DEBARK THEIR DOGS

For a sample letter and more information on the bill, you can  visit the Paw  Project website at: http://www.pawproject.com/html/what.asp

Please write before Senate floor vote which could be as early as June 21. This bill is needed, not only in California, but also to set precedence in other states where it is a VERY Common requirement  to rent an apartment  to require new tenants to have their cats declawed on 2 or all 4 paws or debark their dogs. We are lucky in California that this bill is supported by the Apartment Association. If you are a landlord , please specify that in your letter. Everyone's letters and efforts will really help.

This bill was doing really well. It passed in the California Assembly with a 63-7 vote but last week  the California Veterinary Medical Association  raised their efforts to block the passing of this bill by using $$$$$ and lobbyists,  The measure narrowly passed the Senate Judiciary Committee with a 3-2 vote, and could be voted on by the full Senate as early as the week of June 21. This Monday.
The full text of AB 2743 is available at this link: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/asm/ab_2701-2750/ab_2743_bill_20100607_amended_sen_v95.pdf

PLEASE write letters to state senators (find your senator at: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html)

YOUR SUPPORT will be helpful because the California Veterinary  Medical Association is lobbying very hard to kill the bill. CVMA is making the rounds of legislators¹ offices and making its views known to the Governor. It  has also sent out an alert to its members stating that it is "strongly opposed" to the bill and urging its members to send letters of opposition to their state  senators and to the Governor.

The CVMA is powerful because many legislators automatically support  the position held by a trade or business association. Therefore, letters coming in from across the state strongly in support of the law will be necessary. Please inform as many people and rescue groups as  possible.

Thank You!!!!!