San Francisco leaders could soon consider banning the sale of live animals, a move that the city’s animal commission says is backed by dozens of rescue and welfare organizations.
The Commission of Animal Control and Welfare on Thursday voted unanimously to recommend that Mayor Daniel Lurie and the Board of Supervisors make it illegal to sell live animals at pet stores within city limits. Supporters said a ban would formalize a shift already underway in the city’s pet industry.
Officials said only nine of the city’s pet stores still sell animals, while 29 others just offer services such as grooming, boarding, supplies and adoptions.
These days, stores mostly sell reptiles, amphibians, birds, fish, guinea pigs and hamsters, after California in 2019 outlawed the sale of cats, dogs and rabbits that come from commercial breeding facilities, Liz Cabrera Holtz, senior campaign manager with World Animal Protection US, told the commission in her presentation Thursday.
The city’s animal commission wants to ban pet stores from selling animals, including birds. (Baloncici/Getty Images)
The proposal has drawn support from more than 60 organizations, including 41 San Francisco animal rescue groups, according to Kitty Jones, an animal and human rights activist. She and other advocates argue that pet stores are ill-equipped to care for animals, some of which at times require special attention.
Advocates pointed to growing momentum behind broader retail bans. Supporters at Friday’s hearing noted that West Hollywood adopted a comprehensive retail sales ban on live animals last year that took effect this month, while Albany recently voted unanimously to move forward with drafting its own prohibition bill and El Cerrito is also considering a ban.
Commissioners were adamant about making sure the Board of Supervisors and Lurie see the letter of recommendation, with Chairperson Michael Angelo Torres noting they never receive a satisfactory response to any of their recommendations.
“It’s usually, ‘yes, thank you for bringing this to our attention,'” Torres said. “We understand that there are a lot of different things that are happening in the city, many of them of great urgency. And I’m not saying this isn’t as well, but they prioritize things based on what constituents are saying.”
Commissioners said they would work with organizations and advocates to start a letter-writing campaign to bring attention to the ban proposal.
Check back for updates on this developing story.
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This article originally published at San Francisco commission wants to ban pet stores from selling animals.