SAFETY HARBOR – “A topic first brought to the commission by a concerned resident about a year ago was passed by the City Commission as a new ordinance Monday prohibiting the retail sale of cats and dogs within city limits.” – from Tampa Bay Times
TRENTON - "Mike Bober, CEO and president of the Washington, D.C.-based Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council, said that, with New Jersey already being one of the most regulated states in the industry through laws already on the books, Lesniak’s latest bill is too much." - from NJ Biz
JOHANNESBURG - "The United Nations has banned global trade in wild African Grey Parrots, prized for their ability to imitate human speech, to help counter a decline in numbers caused by trafficking and forest loss." - from Reuters US News
WEST PALM BEACH - "New pet stores in Palm Beach County will no longer be able to sell dogs or cats as part of an effort to crack down on substandard breeders known as puppy mills." - from Sun Sentinel
KAILUA-KONA - "An appeals court has ruled that about 50 Hawaii businesses with permits to catch fish bound for aquariums do not need environmental assessments to receive the state permits allowing them to collect the fish." - from Honolulu Star Advertiser
AURORA - "The proposed ordinance, which Richardson said is meant to prohibit the sale of dogs and cats from large scale breeders or “puppy mills” in pet shops in Aurora, would limit where pet shops or dealers could purchase a cat or dog to sell in Aurora." - from Aurora Sentinel
HOUSTON - "Exotic pet stores are required to record the names and addresses of every buyer who purchases a snake covered by the state regulations, but they aren’t required to submit those records to the state. Individual pet stores maintain the records in the event state regulators ask to see them." - from KHOU 11
ALBANY - "Cats and dogs used for research by colleges and universities will soon be put up for adoption after their work is completed, according to a law signed Tuesday by Gov. Andrew Cuomo." from Democrat & Chronicle
PAWTUCKET - "The city of Pawtucket is looking to reinstate a “breed specific” ban on pit bulls after a vicious dog panel voted last week to return a pit bull-boxer mix to its owners after it mauled another dog to death in June." from WPRI 12
ROCKFORD - "It's an amendment to the Animal Control Act, where now if your dog or cat bites someone you must take it in for a bite exam within 24 hours after it happens." - from WREX 13