{"hideHelpPopover":false,"initialLocked":false,"showLock":false,"fieldName":"rich_why","initialValue":"More than 440 other cities, counties and states have already passed laws to stop the retail sale of pets sourced from commercial breeding facilities. It's time for our community to do the same.

Puppy and kitten mills are in business to supply pet stores. The pets in these facilities often spend their entire lives in dirty, crowded cages for the sole purpose of producing as many animals as possible for the retail pet trade. Pet stores that obtain animals from these facilities are not an asset to our community.

These facilities also produce puppies that are often sick, causing unsuspecting consumers to have to care for a new pet in need of expensive veterinary treatment. Milled puppies can also spread campylobacter, a dangerous, drug-resistant bacteria that is contagious to humans. In the past several years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) traced a multi-state outbreak of Campylobacter to pet store puppies. This is a public health risk in a time where public health should be a top priority.

A humane pet sales ordinance will not prevent pet stores from doing business, but it will reduce the burden on our shelters and rescue groups by increasing pet adoptions. It will also benefit our local ethical hobby breeders by allowing them to provide responsibly bred pets directly to those who cannot find what they are looking for through adoption.

Please consider protecting pets and consumers by passing a humane pet sales ordinance for our community.","label":"Why is this important?","required":true,"validationErrors":[],"helpPopoverContent":"Why is this an important issue?

In a few paragraphs, describe what you'd say to a friend if you were trying to explain why you cared about this issue. Try to use a combination of facts and stories so you appeal to people's heads and hearts. Have you been personally affected? For example:

We all want safe and humane communities for people and pets. But some government officials in Kentucky wrongly believe that certain breeds of pet dogs are automatically dangerous. This leads to arbitrary and inconsistent decisions where a pet dog can be legal in one city but illegal in the next town.

Discriminating against certain dogs based on their alleged breed is an outdated, ineffective approach to public safety. It wastes our money because it’s expensive to enforce and violates our rights as dog owners. It can also lead to families having to give up beloved pets that end up at our animal shelters and risk being put to death.

Tell your representative that 22 states have passed provisions prohibiting breed discrimination legislation and Kentucky should do the same. "}

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