http://www.richmond-news.com/life/sale+will+open+underground+market/3255999/story.html
Pet sale ban will open underground market
Richmond News July 9, 2010
The Editor,
Re: "Banning animal sales won't help depopulate shelters," Letters, June 25.
This is an open letter to RAPS, BC SPCA, The Humane Society, Mia Riback and anyone supporting the ban of animal sales in pet stores. I find it totally disgusting for any educated person to ask for a ban on anything. A ban on animal sales in pet stores will not stop the sales of animals from puppy mills. All it will do is create an underground market and when that happens society loses.
There are laws and regulations for puppy mills, I suggest that these people holding the job of enforcement do their jobs. If you stop the sales of these animals in pet stores, you will deprive the community of sales tax dollars that go to pay for our network of services, not only that, the people who run the puppy mills are not going to stop their practices, all they are going to do is destroy the dogs or animals they cannot sell. In a sense, the pet stores offer an opportunity for these poorly treated animals to find a good home.
For the councillors of Richmond to spend any time considering this ban is ridiculous, there are far more pressing issues to be dealing with. A great example would be possibly figure out a way to regulate these puppy mills or better yet, micro chip all animals sold in pet stores and should the animal be given up, they can charge the owner of the pet for the services of adopting out the animal.
Any educated person will tell you that a ban is more like sweeping the garbage under the carpet. It does not solve the problem and it destroys people's livlihoods. As far as I understand it, we do live in a free country, right? If this ban does go through, it will not be legal and will be thrown out by the Supreme Court of Canada. We do have the Charter of Rights. For those who question the validity of the propaganda these special interest groups spew to get their way, check out some of the challenges in the Supreme Court, where when questioned by the judge, they backed down from their claims and the ban has been thrown out. As well the Supreme Court of Canada as much said that it would be against one's Charter of Rights to ban all and any animals for no rhyme or reason.
David Chan,
Richmond
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