Homeless ‘Puppy Mill’ Mastiff with Congenital Eye Damage Needs Surgery

Just one day before the Boston City Council passed the “Puppy Mill Bill”—making Boston the first city in Massachusetts to ban pet stores from selling puppies, kittens and rabbits—a sweet 10-month-old Bull Mastiff named “Zoe” was surrendered to the MSPCA-Angell’s Jamaica Plain center, suffering eye damage that requires surgery to correct. Zoe was purchased from the Pet Express pet store in Danvers by her previous owners who soon after discovered she had a severe case of “Cherry Eye.” Cherry Eye is the result of inflammation in the third eyelid which turns the eyes a blood-red color and causes severe irritation. The condition, common in certain dog breeds, can lead to blindness if untreated. Zoe’s owners—who had already determined they would give up the dog due to the pressures of starting a new job—arranged for eye surgery to be performed by their veterinarian. That procedure, however, was unsuccessful, and shortly thereafter they surrendered the dog.

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Boston City Council Passes Ban on Sale of Dogs, Cats and Rabbits; Mayor Expected to Support Ban

The Boston City Council unanimously passed an ordinance banning the sales of dogs, cats and rabbits in pet stores in Boston. Jamaica Plain's City Councilor Matt O'Malley proposed the law that would also prohibit the sale of animals in public parks and city streets. Mayor Walsh is expected to sign the ordinance, according to Andrew Ryan of the Boston Globe, and the ban on sales in public parks and city streets will then take immediate effect.  The ban of selling dogs, cats and rabbits in pet stores will take effect on Dec. 31, 2017. This bill is deemed the Puppy Mill Bill to prevent the sale of puppies and kittens in stores.

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O’Malley Proposes Ban on Sales of Dogs, Cats and Rabbits in Boston Pet Stores

On Monday Jamaica Plain's City Councilor Matt O’Malley will announce a city ordinance dubbed “the puppy mill bill” that would prohibit pet shops in Boston from selling dogs, cats or rabbits, as well as banning animal sales in public parks and on city streets. O’Malley will make the announcement at the MSPCA-Angell in Jamaica Plain. “I am proud to introduce this ordinance that will not only protect animals, but seeks to prevent financial and emotional costs to the city and its residents, and demonstrate that it is important for Boston foster a more humane environment in the city,” said O'Malley through a press release. If the ordinance becomes Boston law, the city would join more than 120 municipalities across the country that banned the sale of commercially bred cats and dogs from pet shops. Oftentimes these puppies and kittens come from large-scale breeding facilities, many of which have multiple violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act. Puppy and kitten mill animals often have severe problems due to not receiving proper veterinary care and often aren't given sufficient food, water or shelter.

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