Council to consider ordinance on animal sales
The second reading of an ordinance that will amend how animals are treated and purchased in the city is up for possible approval at the upcoming meeting of the San Marcos City Council.
The council will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday at its chambers located at 630 E. Hopkins St.
Following approval, Ordinance 2022-96, as amended, would prohibit pet stores and pet shops from selling dogs or cats that come from sources other than a city or county animal shelter, an animal control agency or animal welfare organizations licensed by the city. If approved this change would become effective March 21.
A part of the proposed changes, the council will review requirements for pet stores that will include a better system to know where pets are coming from and to consider permits and inspections in regard to pet sales.
According to information presented with the agenda, the council first discussed potential revisions on Nov. 15, 2022, and asked that the Council Committee on Animal Services go back and discuss changes prior to the second reading before the council.
City officials stated, “Throughout this year, the City Council Animal Services Committee has worked with staff to address animal issues at the local and regional level. Input from the committee, staff, and the public helped shape the ordinance revisions being presented for approval.”
The committee met frequently throughout 2022 to discuss animal issues, particularly the need to address where pet stores and shops are obtaining animals and to encourage adoption of animals that are coming into city shelters and the need for more rescue animals to find homes.
It was in September that the committee agreed to take a revision of the ordinance to the council on Nov. 1, 2022.
At the Nov. 15 meeting, there was extensive discussion offered concerning the proposed changes. Council members agreed that the ordinance as drafted for amendment should go back to the committee for additional attention.
The committee met Feb. 6, to revise and roll back some of the wording presented in November 2022. According to city officials, the version coming before the council now is “basically the same version as the first reading, with three amendments that include placing a 5-day hold on cats over 3 months old, changing the sterilization requirement to the third impound, and adding a time of implementation for the new section that will allow pet stores a year before sourcing of pet will become effective.
Canine Care Certified, from Purdue University, is a certification program designed to ensure standards are met by breeders. City officials stated that Pickapet has requested that this program be evaluated prior to the oneyear implementation of requirements as to where animals for sale here may be sourced. City staff will be empowered to work with Pickapet to evaluate the Canine Care Certified program, offering information for the council to consider prior to approving one-year requirement changes.
City staff did recommend that the council approve these Chapter 6 ordinance revisions as proposed. The city is working to complete all of the components of the Pawsitive Outcomes Implementation Plan, to sustain a 90% or higher live outcome rate for animals in the city.
