Small pet selling ban in S.F.

[Diamond Dreams]

I think the obvious solution is educate people, imposing bans tends to be counter productive. Specifically, if they taught kids in school (I know, I know, never going to happen) how to care for and be responsible for pets, I think the unwanted and abused pet population would drop dramatically.

 

[jessla]

I think the ban will help. People are way less likely to impulse buy at a breeder or at a shelter. But with pet stores, they go to their local mall, see the cute little hamsters and guineas and rabbits in their little cage, and say, "Aww! So cute! I want one!" So then they buy it and bring it home and put it into their old fish tank. Or maybe they buy it with the cage that's conveniently sold in the store.

If you have to go out of your way to find a breeder, then I think you're less likely to purchase. You don't see the cute little animal in front of you. You have to physically think, "Hey, you know what, I'd like to own a hamster." And then you'd have to find a breeder in your area and drive out there, whether it be a BYB or good breeder. Or you'd have to find a shelter, where they are much stricter about who can own pets. They had to call my husband's and my landlord to make sure that the chinchilla would be okay at our place before we were allowed to take Bebe home, and there was an interview process. Plus they gave us a care sheet, which was nice. It would be nice if pet stores at least gave out care sheets.

 

[Melissa]

Jess- I have never been to a pet shop that didnt give a care sheet with their animals. Some of the information is wrong or outdated but I have noticed even the scuzzy ones ive walked into have them available.

 

[tunes]

I don't see a reason to worry about future laws that may affect pet owners, after all, this ban is because there are not enough loyal pet lovers/owners.

Do you really believe that? That you don't have to worry about future laws? Do you have breed specific legislation in your state? That garbage is even starting to reach it's tenticles into SD. You can own wolves here. You can own bears. You can have a buffalo riding ranch. You can own racoons, skunks, or any other animal you want. But it's still coming here. They tried to pass BSL against pit bulls, german shepherds, chows, and rotties in Sioux Falls. Thankfully, it didn't pass. But some of the smaller towns already have BSL in place. Once it gets a toe hold, it will spread. It won't be a matter of if it will happen, it becomes a matter of when.

You better think again if you don't think that this law can affect pet owners in the very near future.

BTW - I impulse bought my daughter a hamster and my sons their rats. Kody and I were tooling around the pet store after he had been to the doctor and I thought - wow, I have never had a pocket pet specifically for my kids. I bought a hammie and it's set up, the rats and their set ups, and my kids were thrilled and a deep love of these animals was born that day. Betcha there isn't a single breeder on this forum who hasn't "impulse bought" chins too. Not all people who buy without 10 years of research and planning are scumbags. Sometimes, you have just have to start somewhere.

 

[jessla]

Jess- I have never been to a pet shop that didnt give a care sheet with their animals. Some of the information is wrong or outdated but I have noticed even the scuzzy ones ive walked into have them available.

I have never received a care sheet with my purchase. I've purchased hamsters and a guinea pig before. I had to look up the care information myself.

 

[Jazicat]

Only education will stop improper care and saying you can't buy something won't stop a lot of people and when caught it the animal that pays even if it had excellent care.

As someone who lives very close to SF this is scary because the state is also trying to outlaw certain species as pets. I have both lovebirds and pigeons that are legal today who will be illegal if passed. I take excellent care of my birds and do not breed ever which takes work to do properly. I consider myself liberal but I just can't see taking my rights away because someone else isn't responsible.

 

[StevieP]

Do you really believe that? That you don't have to worry about future laws? Do you have breed specific legislation in your state? That garbage is even starting to reach it's tenticles into SD. You can own wolves here. You can own bears. You can have a buffalo riding ranch. You can own racoons, skunks, or any other animal you want. But it's still coming here. They tried to pass BSL against pit bulls, german shepherds, chows, and rotties in Sioux Falls. Thankfully, it didn't pass. But some of the smaller towns already have BSL in place. Once it gets a toe hold, it will spread. It won't be a matter of if it will happen, it becomes a matter of when.
You better think again if you don't think that this law can affect pet owners in the very near future.
BTW - I impulse bought my daughter a hamster and my sons their rats. Kody and I were tooling around the pet store after he had been to the doctor and I thought - wow, I have never had a pocket pet specifically for my kids. I bought a hammie and it's set up, the rats and their set ups, and my kids were thrilled and a deep love of these animals was born that day. Betcha there isn't a single breeder on this forum who hasn't "impulse bought" chins too. Not all people who buy without 10 years of research and planning are scumbags. Sometimes, you have just have to start somewhere.

Sure, there may be some laws made by local or state governments making certain breeds or species outlawed, but there will not be a law banning pet ownership all together. The potential ban of petstores selling animals in one city in CA is not going to make another city in another state prohibit owning pets. Another city might pan pet sales IF San Francisco has a success with it -- if after time the animal control shelters have a reduced inflow of unwanted pets. Any city or state can make off-the-wall laws but chances are it will not happen. Time will tell if the proposed ban in SF will work.

BSL is not around to reduce pet ownership. It has been in existence for over 10 years and has only popped up in a handful of cities and counties. Most of the time it does not prohibit owning the pets. The owner must muzzle the dog in public and have a short leash. They must also spay/neuter, have liability insurance, pay a small fee. So what? Yes there are a few cities where pitt bulls are prohinited all together.
Will it apply to Chesapeake, VA? In time it might. Maybe another 10 years maybe 200 years. It is put in place to reduce the number of breeds which are associated with misconduct. Some areas have problems with dogfighting (Michael Vick anyone?) and the breeds used (pitts) are aggressive. I'm not saying I agree with it, but unfortunately everyone has to suffer for mistakes made by few.

Laws are put into place to make a positive impact on society; whether it be people, animals, the environment, or whatever. Eliminating pet ownership will do none of the above and therefore chances are it will not happen.

 

[tunes]

BSL is not around to reduce pet ownership. It has been in existence for over 10 years and has only popped up in a handful of cities and counties. Most of the time it does not prohibit owning the pets. The owner must muzzle the dog in public and have a short leash. They must also spay/neuter, have liability insurance, pay a small fee. So what? Yes there are a few cities where pitt bulls are prohinited all together.

It's a lot more than "so what" to the people who have these breeds of dogs. It isn't just pit bulls and it hasn't been for a long time. It's pits, chows, rotties, dobes, shepherds - pretty much every big dog. And you bet your butt they are doing it to take away pet ownership of these animals. They want you to have nasty, disgusting little ankle biters and that's it. Actually, if the organization that won't be named gets their way, banning of animals in pet stores is just the toehold they have been looking for. Then they will start pushing for even more legislation regarding pets.

I'm not saying I like seeing pets in pet stores. I hate it. But I am saying that many, MANY people on this forum would never even have chins if they hadn't seem them in pet stores. I know I would never have owned one myself if not for a pet store. In a perfect world, yes, animals would never be in a pet store. In a perfect world there wouldn't be children starving, people without jobs, cancer, and AIDS too. We don't live in a perfect world.

 

[mishellyshel]

I think the obvious solution is educate people,

That is what I was thinking. Perhaps instead of a ban, they should institute a program for employees to be educated about the animals.

That of course opens up discussion on WHO will teach them! But it's a start. A lot of people start their search for a pet in a petstore. Some will impulse buy and some will educate themselves on the internet and thru a cirlce of friends.
Those who impulse buy would be the target of an educated employee that can direct them to a pet that best suits their needs.

 

[CTChin]

It's a lot more than "so what" to the people who have these breeds of dogs. It isn't just pit bulls and it hasn't been for a long time. It's pits, chows, rotties, dobes, shepherds - pretty much every big dog. And you bet your butt they are doing it to take away pet ownership of these animals. They want you to have nasty, disgusting little ankle biters and that's it. Actually, if the organization that won't be named gets their way, banning of animals in pet stores is just the toehold they have been looking for. Then they will start pushing for even more legislation regarding pets.

I'm not saying I like seeing pets in pet stores. I hate it. But I am saying that many, MANY people on this forum would never even have chins if they hadn't seem them in pet stores. I know I would never have owned one myself if not for a pet store. In a perfect world, yes, animals would never be in a pet store. In a perfect world there wouldn't be children starving, people without jobs, cancer, and AIDS too. We don't live in a perfect world.

Peggy I cheer your post except when you said "nasty, disgusting ankle biters" LOL I have a doberman and I have a medium dog and yes....a dreaded small dog...who has never bitten by the way I would love it if everyone would be accepting all all breeds of dogs. However, as a doberman owner I can understand why we get our backs up when people attack the breeds we love.

StevieP, BSL stands for BullS*** Legislation in my book. Why should responsible owners of pits, rotties and my fav. breed, dobermans have to pay extra for insurance and muzzle their dogs when they are NOT a danger to society? My three dobermans have NEVER done anything to endanger society!! BSL is not the answer!!

As a child I enjoyed going to our mom and pop pet store. It was the highlight of my weekend. I saved my allowance so I could buy treats for all my critters (for the ones I already purchased there). To this day I am a rabid animal lover lol. It would be nice if the people in the pet store could take a little more time to screen owners and educate on proper care. I cringe when I am in a pet store now and overhear wrong information being handed out. It also seems like every pet store in the area has a chinchilla or two and NOONE feeds any sort of hay. Pellets are the only thing I see in the cages

 

[tunes]

I'm sorry Brenda, I didn't mean it that way. I have had little dogs too. I just get so aggravated with people thinking that big dogs = mean dogs. Little dogs have far more incidences of biting than my big dogs do.

 

[CTChin]

I'm sorry Brenda, I didn't mean it that way. I have had little dogs too. I just get so aggravated with people thinking that big dogs = mean dogs. Little dogs have far more incidences of biting than my big dogs do.

don..de..don!!!that's why I'm called the "defender of ALL animals!" well except mosquitos and ticks. I hate them things! LOL

Little biting dogs usually equals ignorant owners. I say ignorant and not stupid because I know extremely intelligent people that mess up their chihuahuas! It's funny though...it's the opposite with big dogs. It's usually the extremely stupid that mess up pitbulls!

 

[k8rock]

As a rescue, I support this 100 percent. I have seen way too many times what uneducated pet store employees have contributed to. I think it is wonderful and cannot wait to see it pass and spread all over the US!

 

[StevieP]

StevieP, BSL stands for BullS*** Legislation in my book. Why should responsible owners of pits, rotties and my fav. breed, dobermans have to pay extra for insurance and muzzle their dogs when they are NOT a danger to society? My three dobermans have NEVER done anything to endanger society!! BSL is not the answer!!

I'm not saying I agree with it, but unfortunately everyone has to suffer for mistakes made by few.

Sometimes it is not the owner. Sometimes it is. People who's dog attacked and killed another human will probably say "I never thought in a million years that Spike would do that."
It only takes a few to spoil it for everyone else. I love every breed the same but it is a fact of life that Pitts are the most aggressive dog in the world followed by Rotts, German Shepherds, Huskies, Chow Chows, Dobermans. 99%of them will live their whole life without harming a fly but there are some who just snap taking the life of another dog, cat, or human. Since people can't keep their dogs restrained properly, BSLs were put into place. You are right -- it is not fair but you have to see the reason for it.

I'm not saying I like seeing pets in pet stores. I hate it. But I am saying that many, MANY people on this forum would never even have chins if they hadn't seem them in pet stores. I know I would never have owned one myself if not for a pet store. In a perfect world, yes, animals would never be in a pet store. In a perfect world there wouldn't be children starving, people without jobs, cancer, and AIDS too. We don't live in a perfect world.

I got my first 2 chins from a petstore. God knows if I would have any if I didn't see chins in the store. Who knows?

 

[CTChin]

Sometimes it is not the owner. Sometimes it is. People who's dog attacked and killed another human will probably say "I never thought in a million years that Spike would do that."
It only takes a few to spoil it for everyone else. I love every breed the same but it is a fact of life that Pitts are the most aggressive dog in the world followed by Rotts, German Shepherds, Huskies, Chow Chows, Dobermans. 99%of them will live their whole life without harming a fly but there are some who just snap taking the life of another dog, cat, or human. Since people can't keep their dogs restrained properly, BSLs were put into place. You are right -- it is not fair but you have to see the reason for it.

Where are you getting your information? From the media? Sorry...but I worked in vet's offices for several years and saw aggression in every breed of dog including the nation's beloved Labradors and Golden Retrievers. I remember when a golden retriever took a chunk out of a boys thigh and tried to do more but thankfully the owner's stopped him. Did that make our local media? Of course not. Pitbulls attacking make good headlines. Golden retrievers...not so.

 

[AZChins]

I think I read somewhere that most dog bites come from smaller dogs...but they rarely get reported because the dogs are small. I know that my little dogs will run after people and probably bite, they're tiny but they could still break the skin. There will probably always be doggies that bite regardless of the breeds banned...

 

[StevieP]

Where are you getting your information? From the media? Sorry...but I worked in vet's offices for several years and saw aggression in every breed of dog including the nation's beloved Labradors and Golden Retrievers. I remember when a golden retriever took a chunk out of a boys thigh and tried to do more but thankfully the owner's stopped him. Did that make our local media? Of course not. Pitbulls attacking make good headlines. Golden retrievers...not so.

Sorry...but in vet's offices you don't see national dog bite statistics. There are many publications available and may I suggest you do some research first before questioning anyone.

Anything with teeth can bite. Anything animal can show aggression.

 

[CTChin]

Sorry...but in vet's offices you don't see national dog bite statistics. There are many publications available and may I suggest you do some research first before questioning anyone.

Anything with teeth can bite. Anything animal can show aggression.

Isn't that basically what I said? I've seen aggression in just about every breed.
Yes, I have researched thank you. I have to keep on my toes owning such a "vicious" breed. The curious thing is that their are probably 100 dog bite statistic reports out there and each one says something different.

Edit: well shoot...according to that report great danes and huskys are more dangerous than dobermans... Labs too! Am I reading that right? Of course I do take into account that the more popular the breed is, the more incidences you will see.