One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Irvine Bans Retail Sales of Dogs and Cats
Photo by Finger Food via the LAist Featured Photos pool
If you were planning to swing by Irvine and buy a new puppy, you may need to rethink your trajectory: the Irvine City Council just voted to ban the sale of dogs and cats in retail stores.
The vote happened last night, and also includes a ban on rodeos and circuses that feature exotic animals, according to CBS News.
The pet store part of the new regulation will only affect one retailer, notes the OC Weekly, as there is only one pet store in Irvine -- Russo's Pet Experience. The Weekly adds that the effort to try to shut down retail purveryors of dogs and cats comes as part of a larger effort to reduce the number of animals bought from puppy mills, and to encourage responsible breeding and pet adoption.
But the sole councilmember who opposed the bill suggested that the ban was essentially a solution in need of a problem:
Jeff Lalloway...argued the city was creating a problem that did not exist, as there is only one pet store in the city, and it will be out of business next year. Lalloway also noted there are no mass-breeding facilities, no rodeos and no circuses with exotic animals operating in Irvine.
Still, the ban was supported by about 50 attendees at the council's meeting, as well as Orange County People for Animals and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
