North Brunswick officials are working on an ordinance that would prevent pet retailers from opening in the township.
Jay Soloway, president of the North Brunswick Humane Association, recently presented the idea to Mayor Francis “Mac” Womack and Township Council members.
Soloway said pet stores do not inform customers that the dogs they are selling have come from so-called “puppy mills” in places such as Missouri, Pennsylvania and Ohio.
“They will try to convince you that the dogs come from a reputable breeder,” he said. “The dogs look well taken care of because they are merchandise, [but] the store does not care where the puppies come from.”
Such an ordinance would show that the North Brunswick community is animalfriendly and that it cares about its consumers, Soloway said.
“With this ordinance, we want to send the message that we don’t support the concept of puppy mills, where the dogs are in horrendous conditions,” he said.
Soloway said there are currently no pet stores in the township that sell dogs from puppy mills.
The legislation would not affect existing stores such as Katie’s Pet Depot, which only has dogs and cats up for adoption.
The proposed ordinance has already been adopted in towns such as Manasquan, Point Pleasant Beach, Point Pleasant Borough, Brick and Hoboken, according to Soloway. Other towns considering such a measure are Jersey City, Lakewood, Toms River and Oceanport.
While a bill pending in the state Assembly would make it mandatory for municipalities to issue licenses to stores that adhere to a set of regulations, Soloway said the state legislation would not solve the problem of puppy-mill animals being sold locally.
Councilwoman Cathy Nicola said she supports the proposed ban. She said the township would not be putting anyone out of business, and with a very active humane society in the community, it is an appropriate ordinance to have on the books.