Posted: July 20, 2010, 2 a.m. EDT
The City of El Paso Department of Public Health is inviting members of the public to a roundtable meeting on Wednesday, July 21, to discuss a proposed ordinance that would prohibit pet stores in El Paso, Texas, from selling puppies and kittens. The roundtable will also discuss changes in pet licensing fees.
The purpose of the roundtable is to get public input so a specific proposal can be drawn up, according to Armando Saldivar, public affairs officer for the City of El Paso Department of Public Health.
Officials have not yet determined whether the ban would include just puppies and kittens or whether it would include all dogs and cats, or even extend to all pet animals such as birds, reptiles, rabbits and other small animals.
The roundtable was spurred after Mayor John Cook shot down a proposal that was discussed at a public hearing last week. The proposal aimed to increase license fees for unsterilized dogs and cats, set microchip requirements and prohibit the sale of animals younger than eight weeks of age, among other animal regulations. Mayor Cook wanted a more stringent ordinance, one that included a pet sale ban, Saldivar said.
A similar pet sale ban proposal is pending in Austin, according to the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council.
The roundtable meeting will take place 6 to 7:30 p.m. July 21 at City Council Chambers, 2 Civic Center Plaza.
El Paso City Council is scheduled to vote on the ordinance in August.