Title
Amending Title 10 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Regulation of Individual Conduct and Activity," by adding a new Section to impose a temporary moratorium on the breeding and transfer of puppies, all under certain terms and conditions.
Body
WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia has experienced a documented increase in stray and abandoned dogs, creating threats to public health and safety, including dog bites, traffic accidents, and the spread of communicable diseases; and
WHEREAS, The City's Animal Control Agency, ACCT Philly, funded primarily with public resources, has for extended periods operated at or above capacity, leading to overcrowding, disease risk, and heightened fiscal burdens on taxpayers; and
WHEREAS, Intake data from ACCT Philly demonstrates that indiscriminate or unregulated breeding is a primary driver of shelter crowding and dog relinquishment, compounding the strain on the City's ability to provide humane care; and
WHEREAS, The unregulated sale of puppies also presents consumer protection and public health risks, including the misrepresentation of animal health, spread of contagious diseases among community and shelter animals and the possible spread of zoonotic diseases to humans; and
WHEREAS, Enforcement of existing animal control laws has proven insufficient to stem the rapid increase in intake, and immediate action is required to stabilize the situation; and
WHEREAS, A temporary moratorium on dog breeding is a targeted measure intended to address this emergency condition while Council considers and adopts permanent regulatory solutions, including licensing, subsidized sterilization, and enhanced enforcement; and
WHEREAS, The moratorium is limited in duration and scope, does not permanently bar the pursuit of dog breeding as an occupation, and is substantially related to the protection of public health, safety, and welfare;
WHEREAS, This temporary moratorium is a narrowly tailored public-health and welfare measure that d...
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