City to Repeal Mandatory Spay/Neuter Law
Petland Inc., had sued because of controversial ordnance.

The Athens, Ohio, City Council voted this week to repeal a spay/neuter ordinance that requires any dog or cat more than 6-months-old to have the surgery before being sold or given away, partially because of fears about pending litigation.

The ordinance also required owners of younger animals to show proof that they have purchased spay or neuter service from a vet. After the City Council passed the law in March 2005, Ohio-based Petland, Inc. sued the city.

Petland, which does not spay or neuter all of the animals it sells but offers coupons for the new owners to have their animals fixed, has argued in court that the law is unenforceable and discriminatory.

The council has said that although the current ordinance is being repealed, it will draft and vote on a less restrictive version of it.

Kate McGuckin of the Athens Coalition of Companion Animals has said she supports the councils move to repeal the ordinance and draft a new one because numerous other cities have spay/neuter laws.

Petland has shown support for the ordinance repeal, and company officials are waiting to see the new ordinance before they decide further actions, according to company spokeswoman Julie Washburn.

Posted on the Cat Channel: August 04, 2006, 5 a.m. EST

I bought a Westie from Petland here in Georgetown last October. She is the love of my life, and yes spayed by my Vet not Petlands. Their Vet lied on her paperwork the first time I took her in and neglected to call me back for 25 hours after she started vomiting from their so called “meds” which where supplements.

I was looking up her breeder that is on her paperwork. I found the name on you tube. I lived in Houston 25 years ago and Petland was run out of malls, etc for puppy mills, sick puppies. Look at this , it is my babies breeder, it breaks my heart that her parents are there and maybe sibblings. Thankfully she wasn’t wanted and was sent where I could buy her and take care of her and love her for the rest of her life and it will be with me. But Petland needs to be run out of business permanently!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOKsJhBV3KQ

This is my Westie’s breeder that I was in contact with….never did she say she was a puppy mill. Clean or not,,this is a high class “PUPPY MILL” you can’t call it anything else with as many different breeds that she has in this kennel. They are sold to PETLAND. So I never want to hear that Petland promotes good things for dogs again….after Houston and now this….I thought they had changed…no way , this is my Westie’s breeder, I have her name on my paperwork, so there is no denying that PETLAND buys from Puppy Mills!!!!!!!!! So their promoting to spay or neuter pets is a JOKE!!!! I am glad I did spay my Westie as I have all my animals in the past, as she or any pet they sell should never be bought to breed for certain!!!