Ban on Pet Sale

Article “San Francisco Considers Banning of Pets Except Fish” (Carolyn Jones)
Summary #1

In the article “San Francisco Considers Banning of Pets Except Fish”, published in San Francisco Chronicle, Carolyn Jones describes a proposed ban on the sale of all pets except fish. The reason for this ban, as commission Chairwoman Sally Stephens affirms, is that people buy small animals without knowing their habits and while looking after pets, they face difficulties and at the end leave these animals at the shelters. Jones writes that at the moment this petition is under the scrutiny of the board of supervisors. People who are for and against this ban are holding debates about this issue and giving persuasive arguments. Most of the people who are against this ban are owners of pet shops. They are in panic that their business will go down. Point of view of people who vote for this ban is that amount of animal in shelters is increasing and the reason for this is that buyers mostly buy these pets as “toys” for their babies and then most of these animals end up in shelters. As Jones notes at the end of the article, the commission will listen to both of side before the voting and the pronouncement of sentence.

Opinion in favor of the proposal: “The No Pets in Pet Stores Proposal” (Ken White)
Summary #2

In the article “The No Pets in Pet Stores Proposal” Ken White, President of Peninsula Humane Society and SPCA, points his opinion in favor of the law to ban sales of pets except fish. He notes that this proposal will help to protect rights of animals. Also he refers to a story posted in “The San Francisco Chronicle” and asserts that there is some misleading in the noted information. The first item is about the percentage of euthanized and adopted percentage of pets and the second item is about the crisis in finding homes for dogs and cats in SF, but actually the real problem is that hamsters are more in crisis.

Opinion against the proposal: “Banning Pet Stores in SF: A Solution in Search of a Problem” (Michael Yaki)
Summary 3

In his article “Banning Pet Stores in SF: A Solution in Search of a Problem” Michael Yaki, Attorney and Political Consultant, states that he does not support the proposal to ban sales of pets. He says, “… banning pet stores from selling anything but fish -- that's silly”. Also, he notes, that a ban for pet sales in San Francisco is ridiculous action, because if somebody wants to buy a pet, he/she will get one somehow, somewhere, but if he/she is not able to deal with it, it will end up in a shelter. So, he concludes that a pet sale ban is not a right solution.

My opinion regarding a ban on pets’ sale

Actually because of my allergy, I am not a big fan of pets, but I believe that this law is not the right solution. This law will deprive rights of pet fans to get desired animals in San Francisco, and in fact will create difficulties for them – people have to go to other cities to buy animals. Also this ordinance will not decrease a problem about which San Francisco’s Commission of Animal Control and Welfare affirms, because actually the problem will not be eliminated. If somebody decides to buy a pet he/she will do it in spite of a ban.  He/she just will buy a pet in another city. If he/she leaves a pet in a shelter, it will be done in place where they live, so there will still be animals left in the shelters. I think if the problem is with people who just buy these as “toys” for their babies and then abandon them at shelters after some time, the Commission of Animal Control and Welfare has to take actions in these directions.