Clark County commissioner continues crusade to restrict pet sales
It’s been more than two years since Clark Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani embarked upon her initiative to pass a law that would curb market demand for pets born at mass breeding facilities.
After multiple unsuccessful attempts, time could be running out.
Giunchigliani is set to finish her final term as a commissioner at year’s end, yet she seemed positive Tuesday after her fellow commissioners once again punted a vote on the ordinance.
“Every time you get more ideas,” Giunchigliani said. “I think there are some legit concerns that I will try to work through. I won’t be able to please everybody.”
It’s unclear how soon new language could appear before the commission.
The latest attempt — Giunchigliani’s third in as many years — would have forbidden pet stores that open after June 30 from selling dogs, cats, rabbits or potbellied pigs. Any existing store that changed ownership after that date would have also lost its ability to sell those pets.
Giunchigliani’s initial proposal would have banned retail stores from selling any pets not obtained from animal shelters, humane societies or animal rescue organizations. Giunchigliani said she believed the law would appeal to commissioners who thought stricter measures would be unfair to existing businesses.
Other commissioners resisted the new proposal for many of the same reasons they have dismissed Giunchigliani’s previous plans.
“I have trouble making the connection going after the bad breeders and going after the businesses,” Commissioner Larry Brown said. “We’re blurring the issue. If not punishing, we’re impacting the business side.”
The newest proposal also was rebuked as too soft by Jeff Dixon, the Nevada State Director for the Humane Society of the United States.
“We fear others (cities and counties) may follow, set a precedent, and not do a full ban,” he said. “We could end up protecting far more stores than we prevent.”
Giunchigliani said that she sensed a renewed interest from most of her fellow commissioners in the idea of requiring retail stores selling shelter animals. At the direction of other commissioners, she will also explore how the county can better enforce its laws against local unlicensed backyard breeding operations, including the possibility to increasing fines and hiring more animal control officers. A public education campaign about how to purchase humanely bred and raised pets is also a possibility.
Dixon he expressed doubt at any county or city being able to stamp out illegal backyard breeding.
“A lot of people see this as a side hustle and they’re willing to take that risk,” he said. “I’m not aware of jurisdictions where they’ve been able to turn it around.”
The Las Vegas City Council is scheduled to discuss its own pet store ordinance Wednesday.
Contact Michael Scott Davidson at sdavidson@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3861. Follow @davidsonlvrj on Twitter.
