Main Line Town Bans Pet Stores From Selling Pets

RADNOR, PA — Pet stores in Radnor have been banned from selling pets under a policy adopted Monday by the township Board of Commissioners.

The ordinance prohibits pet stores in Radnor from selling live animals. Rescues, shelters and breeders can still offer pets, and the ordinance doesn't prevent residents from buying animals at pet stores in other towns.

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There are no Radnor pet stores selling pets, so the ordinance doesn't impact any existing businesses, says Commissioner Moira Mulroney (Ward 5).

"I see it as an opportunity for us to move on something that I feel strongly about, that is good for us as people who care for animals," Mulroney said. "But also, we’re not impacting any small businesses, and people who own animals in the community already have places that they trust for those purchases."

The ordinance claims that animals at pet stores too often receive inadequate care, leading to health and behavioral issues.

Pet stores can still provide space for rescue organizations to display animals available for adoption.

Radnor resident Stevie Boulden, who founded the Radnor Outreach & Animal Rescue, says the ban helps prevent impulse purchases and inhumane breeding practices.

"Pet stores who sell these animals have a negative effect on the animals, the consumer and the rescue community left to be a safety net for animals losing a home for various reasons," Boulden said at Monday's meeting.

The Pet Advocacy Network — a national lobbying group for the pet industry that's based in the Washington, D.C. — opposed the ban.

"We know that bans simply don’t work," Alyssa Miller-Hurley, the organization's vice president of government affairs, said at the meeting. "And while we do appreciate the fact that there are no small businesses here, we do have concerns of a ripple effect that could affect small businesses in other communities that are closer to Radnor."

Violating stores will be fined between $100 and $1,000 for each offense, and the ordinance allows the township to sue them.

The ordinance can be seen on Page 35 of the Board of Commissioners meeting agenda packet.

Click here for a video of Monday's meeting.