Franklin votes to restrict sales of dogs, cats

Retail sales of cats and dogs will now be heavily restricted in Franklin.

A divided Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted 5-3 to pass an ordinance regulating pet stores at its meeting Tuesday. The ordinance only restricts sales in brick-and-mortar businesses, not personal sales of animals.

The only pet store in the city, Pawfect Puppy, recently closed. Under the ordinance, pet stores in Franklin can only sell animals that were acquired from an animal care facility or rescue organization. That means selling dogs and cats from breeders will be off limits for retailers. 

"I tend to favor a least restrictive measure that will accomplish a goal. In this instance, however, I think the moment is right," said Alderman Dana McLendon. "This is an animal. A living, breathing thing — not an object."

The connection between pet stores and puppy mills, which are establishments that breed animals for sale in usually poor conditions, is well documented. The Humane Society of the United States estimates that 10,000 puppy mills produce more than 2.4 million puppies each year across the country, many of which are sold in pet stores.

Aldermen weigh in

Aldermen Anne Petersen, Clyde Barnhill and Scott Speedy voted against the ordinance, while Aldermen Bev Burger, Dana McLendon, Pearl Bransford, Margaret Martin and Brandy Blansford voted in favor. 

Clyde Barnhill said the ordinance isn't going to do anything to prevent puppy mills from operating.

"I am very disappointed that aldermen wish to restrict free trade. The only thing we've done is put someone out of business," Barnhill said, referring to Pawfect Puppy. "I find it to be an extremely slippery slope we're on."

Burger, who sponsored the ordinance, said the city didn't put anyone out of business, but that the owner of Pawfect Puppy moved his business out of Franklin because he didn't want to comply with the new ordinance, which would've required him to list the animals' breeders on their cages at the pet store.

"We're not restricting free trade. There are breeders all over the place, hundreds of them in Tennessee," she said. 

Animal advocate Ashley Cunnyngham first asked the board in February to consider an ordinance that would stop the sale of dogs and cats in the city's pet stores.

Last December, she collected 1,400 signatures that supported her request. 

Reach Elaina Sauber at [email protected], 615-571-1172 or follow @ElainaSauber on Twitter.