Arizona! Arizona took an amazing step forward in its laws to protect dogs recently. A Federal Judge just upheld a 2013 ordnance that any dog or cat (yes there are still cat people out there) that is sold in a pet store MUST come from a pet shelter or not for profit rescue organization.
This ruling if passed, will strike a firm blow to puppy mills in the state. According to this article the case stemmed from a puppy mill that was selling 500 puppies a year. That was only a portion of the 41,000 dogs sold per year in Arizona.
We are not sure what impact the short term dog supply will be, but we are rejoicing that this will have a dramatic and instant impact on the kill rates of un-adopted dogs and cats. Court documents from the case showed that in Maricopa County run animal shelters took in more than 38,200 animals, with 34,000 of those dogs being put down. These numbers do not appear to take in account local not for profit shelters. If you are looking for a pure bread or a dog that you can learn its history, you can still purchase from a registered small breeder (defined as four or less breading females).
Since you now have an even better chance at bringing home a shelter pet (Trust us, these dogs are often grateful and even more loving) you may want to be aware of other laws in Arizona about owning a dog.
These laws, far as the state goes can be found . To briefly sum up what the state laws cover, it’s typical to most states. They refer to dog bites, leashing, and vaccinations.
It does initially look like that in Arizona they appreciate the companionship and protection of dogs. When you read quickly through the statute listing above or below, dog bites that occur on private property only refer to guest or workers within the confines of their job duties. We find it interesting that it does not specify, list trespassers or unwanted persons.
Arizona is a very pro puppy state. Enjoy those little buddies!
