West Hollywood bans retail sale of all live animals

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WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. - The City of West Hollywood has voted to ban the retail sale of all live animals in the city.

What we know:

The City Council voted to approve the ban during its Monday meeting. The ban means pet stores can't "display, sell, deliver, offer for sale, barter, auction, give away or otherwise transfer or dispose" of any live animals. 

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The new law expands on a city ordinance that banned the retail sale of dogs and cats back in 2010. The new ordinance includes rabbits, amphibians, arachnids, birds, fish, reptiles, hermit crabs and any other mammals that weren't already prohibited.

Pet stores will have to stop the sale of the animals by May 1, 2026.

Dig deeper:

There are exceptions to the new ban, including animal shelters and animal control facilities; humane societies and animal rescue organizations; and breeders. Pet stores can still sell under the ban, as long as the animals come from animal control, or an animal rescue.

What they're saying:

Several animal rights organizations advocated for the ban, saying that many pet stores get their animals from "cruel breeding mills." 

According to the city, an investigation from 2005 showed nearly half of pet shops visited showed animals in poor conditions with "visible signs of illness, injury, or neglect."

"We have observed the suffering of many animals in the pet trade, who are oftentimes raised in deplorable conditions," the Animal Alliance Network wrote in a letter to the City Council. "These animals are frequently trapped from their natural environments and transported in inhumane conditions leading to cruelty and death. There are so many animals waiting to be adopted from reputable shelters and rescues, so there is never a need to breed, capture, or sell other animals."

What's next:

The amendment is expected to be finalized in September. Then, West Hollywood pet stores will have until May 1, 2026, to stop selling live animals.

The full ordinance can be read on the City of West Hollywood's website here.