Puppy Love: New Arlington Heights Law Sets Rules for Pet Shops

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL—A new ordinance creates standards for Arlington Heights pet shops as a way to ensure the animals they sell come from reputable breeders.

The Arlington Heights Village Board on Monday unanimously passed the ordinance, which was created to counter Cook County's regulation banning the sale of puppy mill dogs, the Daily Herald reports. The village opted out of the county ordinance in July in order to create a more business-friendly alternative.

RELATED: Arlington Heights Opts Out of Puppy Mill Ordinance

The new law outlines the breeder information village pet shops must display near dog and cat cages, the Daily Herald reports. That includes:

• name and location of the breeder
• whether the U.S. Department of Agriculture licenses the breeder
• medical and inoculation information for the animals

Shops that don't follow the ordinance could be given a citation, fined up to $750 and also have their business license revoked or suspended, the report stated.

RELATED: 'Puppy Mill' Sales Banned in Cook County: Will It Work?

Happiness Is Pets, 15 W. Golf Road, is the only Arlington Heights pet shop that will be immediately affected by the ordinance. The owner told the board Monday he already complies with half of the law's new guidelines and doesn't see it as a problem.

More via the Daily Herald