Calgary businesses split on possible ban on retail sale of dogs, cats and rabbits

Calgary council mulls banning retail sale of pets Calgary councillors are considering the creation of a bylaw that would ban the retail sale of cats, dogs and rabbits in the city.

Calgary city counsellors are considering creating a bylaw that would ban the sale of cats, dogs and rabbits within city limits.

Ward 8 Coun. Courtney Walcott is pushing his colleagues to move forward with plans for the bylaw, which he says would help prevent “some of the devastating outcomes that we’ve seen with our shelters and, of course, animals on the street.”

Meghan Huchkowsky, owner of Doodle Dogs, a pet supply store, supports the proposed ban.

Two years ago, Huchkowsky gathered over 22,000 signatures on a petition advocating for a ban on retail animal sales. She believes a municipal ban is insufficient and hopes to push the provincial government to adopt a similar ban.

“Because I don’t want anyone to be able to close up shop in Calgary and then go to Okotoks or go to Airdrie or just go up to Edmonton,” Huchkowsky said. “Ideally, we would like to see this province wide.”

The Calgary Humane Society says its shelter is currently overcrowded, and that intake is being triaged.

Humane society CEO Carrie Fritz believes a retail sales ban would help reduce the number of surrendered pets.

“We are seeing hundreds of animals coming into the shelter right now, and majority of animals that come into Calgary Humane Society are owner surrendered animals,” Fritz said.

“I think that there are better ways to source animals than that impulse buying in retail environments.”

Robert Church, owner of The Top Dog Store in northeast Calgary, opposes the proposed bylaw.

He says his store is the only one in the city that sells puppies. Church maintains his dogs come from responsible breeders and are well cared for while awaiting sale.

He feels the city is trying to shut down his business.

“This bylaw proposal is absolutely targeted towards forcing the closure of my store, absolutely,” Church said. “These animals are not ending up in shelters.”

The humane society says the proposed the bylaw will not affect retail stores partnering  with shelters to facilitate adoptions.

Other major cities, including Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, have rules banning the retail sale of certain animal