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Puppy Bill Changes Its Spots

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Ohio lawmakers have scrapped a controversial amendment that would take away local control over sales of dogs at pet stores. But that doesn't mean lawmakers are rolling over and playing dead on the issue.

A Senate committee pulled the amendment that was attached to a tax bill and are instead making it a stand-alone bill. The A-S-P-C-A’s Vicki Deisner opposes the legislation that would take away a community’s authority to ban sales of some dogs in pet stores, as Grove City and Toledo have done.

“It preempts pet stores locally from deciding if they want to support the cruelty of puppy mills.”

Deisner supports offering only dogs from rescue or humane organizations. Petland’s Elizabeth Kunzleman says her organization does not purchase dogs from puppy mills and says most are healthy.

“Less than 5% had any medical issue. Less than 1% had any congenital or hereditary issue.”

Kunzleman says her company has 17 pet stores in Ohio and cannot operate with 17 different sets of rules.

Contact Jo Ingles at jingles@statehousenews.org.