Aasen says “no” to puppy, kitten mills

Changes to city code would make Carmel the largest city in the state of Indiana to prohibit the sale of cats or dogs in pet stores.

Proposed amendments to city ordinance, sponsored by City Councilor Adam Aasen, would still allow responsible, licensed breeders to sell animals directly to consumers within city limits. The new policy would not prevent pet stores from collaborating with animal care facilities or rescue organizations to offer space to showcase adoptable cats or dogs.

Aasen said this change is needed because many pet stores who sell cats and dogs obtain their inventory from unlicensed puppy mills, many of which are out of state. One study from PAWS, an animal nonprofit, estimates 90 percent of dogs and cats sold at pet stores are obtained from puppy mills.

Aasen

“The Carmel City Council has already prohibited puppy mills from operating in our city limits and we already prohibited pet stores from sourcing their animals from puppy mills,” Aasen said. “This simple change takes the next step to protect animals and discourage abuse and mistreatment. This law would be actually easier for our city to enforce because we wouldn’t have to track down where the animals are obtained from, which can often be out of state.”

No pet stores in Carmel currently sell cats or dogs, meaning no existing businesses would have to change their practices. While the problem doesn’t currently exist in Carmel, Aasen said the city has a history of being proactive rather than reactive.

“These stores do exist on our city’s borders in neighboring municipalities and so this fear isn’t unfounded,” Aasen said. “By making this change, we can prevent a problem before it happens.”

Fines could be up to $2,500 per offense. Multiple violations could lead the City of Carmel to seek an injunction to shut the business down.

Aasen said pet stores can make a lot of money without selling cats or dogs. Most make their money from selling food, supplies, etc. and the sale of animals represents a very small percentage. According to the World Pet Association, in 2019 pet stores that only sold dry goods reported more total revenue per square foot ($403) than those that sold animals ($246).

Aasen said this ordinance is not meant to punish breeders, and, in fact, the American Kennel Club says they “believe the best way for a person to obtain a new pet is through personal interaction with the pet’s breeder and the pet under consideration.” Most breeders clubs’ Code of Ethics state that their breeders refuse to sell their dogs to pet dealers or any other commercial sources of distribution.

Puppy mills breed dogs and cats in dirty, unsanitary conditions with little to no veterinary care. Mothers are bred every heat cycle and are usually killed when they can no longer produce. Many puppy mills do not practice humane euthanasia. Dogs are killed in cruel ways, including shooting or drowning.

Puppies are taken from their mothers too young and can develop serious health or behavioral issues due to the conditions in which they are bred and shipped.

“When I was a newspaper reporter in Florida, I personally saw police seize dogs from a puppy mill,” Aasen said. “These dogs had to be shaved because they had matted fur. They were dangerously skinny. The smell was terrible. It was an awful scene.”

Puppy mills contribute to pet overpopulation and every time an animal is brought to the Humane Society for Hamilton County, it costs taxpayers of the city from which it came.

Animals brought to shelters outside of Hamilton County are often euthanized. Three million dogs are euthanized in animal shelters nationwide every year.

Other Indiana communities with similar laws in place include:

• Joseph County
• Columbus
• Dyer
• Highland
• Crown Point
• Bloomington
• Munster
• Lake Station
• Whiting
• Hebron
• Schererville (zoning)
• East Chicago

Citizens with questions or concerns can reach out to Councilor Aasen at aaasen@carmel.in.gov.

City Councilor Adam Aasen (R-SE District) represents southeast Carmel, which is east of Keystone Parkway and north of 96th Street. The district borders the north along Main Street from Keystone to Gray Road and along 126th Street from Gray to the eastern city limits.