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BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — There was a hearing on Beacon Hill Wednesday about whether to ban the sale of certain animals like cats and dogs in Massachusetts pet stores.
On one side of the argument are pet store advocates who say pet stores are regulated by the state, and not allowing the sales of those animals could put the stores, many of them family-owned, out of business.
On the other side are organizations like the Animal Rescue League (ARL) of Boston who want to see the end of retail sales of dogs, cats, and rabbits in pet stores due to what they say is the spread of illnesses among those animals from pet stores that some refer to as 'puppy mills.'
Ally Black of the ARL said there are documented cases of animals from pet stores with serious illnesses. "Animals that are diagnosed with giardia, pneumonia, kennel cough, and a puppy that died from distemper just three weeks from being purchased," she said.
WBZ's Carl Stevens (@CarlWBZ) reports.
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