SPA Canada in an article by La Presse: La SPA réclame l’interdiction de la vente de chiens et de chats. (The SPA calls for the ban on the sale of dogs and cats)
The Society for the Protection of Animals (SPA) Canada would like Montreal to imitate Toronto in banning the sale of cats and dogs in pet shops.
Pleased by the City of Montreal’s handling of its own animal management on its territory, the SPA still thinks that the measures announced yesterday are not sufficient. It asks for the ban of the sale of animals in pet shops so that adoption in shelters becomes the only option; a position that the Companion Animal Adoption Centres of Quebec (CAACQ) share. ‘’If they cannot sell their animals in pet shots, puppy mills won’t be able to do business.’’ the president of the organisation, Johanne Tassé, states.
In September 2011, Toronto deputies adopted legislation banning the sale of cats and dogs in pet shops, unless they came from shelters. The City of Richmond in British-Columbia did the same. However, the vice-president of the City of Montreal executive committee and responsible for citizen services, Richard Deschamps, stated many times that this is not a path that Montreal intends to take.
Gabriel Villeneuve, director of campaigns at the SPA, underlines that the decision by the Verdun borough to ban the sale of non-sterilised animals is nonetheless a step forward. The borough of Rosemont-La-Petite-Patrie banned since the beginning of the year the sale of animals in all new businesses.
The SPA also denounces the City of Montreal’s decision to give the reins of the new centre to a non-profit organisation rather than managing it itself. ‘’It is a question of transparency’’ Gabriel Villeneuve affirms. ‘’If it is not managed by the city, it will be more difficult to obtain data, and if problems come up, the city will put the blame on the organisation.’’ Aware that such a management would be more costly, Mr. Villeneuve maintains that this centre for animals is part of the services to the population not meant to be profitable.
He also calls for the responsibilisation of animal owners. ‘’It is not only the city’s job to act.’’ he says. ‘’We have a particular problem in Quebec. People keep their pets on average for 11 months. It is a lot less than in the rest of Canada.’’
Source: La Presse