LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Earlier this year, Louisville Metro Council passed an ordinance to stop the sale of dogs and cats from retail pet stores, aimed at ending the supply of animals from puppy and kitten mills.
But Puppygram, the main target of the ordinance, is refusing to comply.
The legislation was inspired — at least in part — by a WDRB News investigation into Puppygram, a shop on Hurstbourne Parkway that sells purebred puppies and pet supplies. Several dog owners brought home puppies that soon developed serious health issues. Many began to then question the health records they were given by Puppygram.
The investigation was mentioned several times as animal advocates pushed councilmembers to pass the ordinance. They believe it will reduce the number of puppy and kitten mills, where operators value profit over an animal's health. One example came from Chelsea, a Louisville woman who took out a $2,700 loan earlier this year to buy Louie from Puppygram. Nine days after she adopted him, her vet diagnosed Louie with a parasite called Giardia.
Todd Blevins, the Kentucky state director for the Humane Society of the United States who helped write the ordinance, said the goal all along was to keep dogs from puppy mills out of Louisville.
“I think it's really demonstrative of the kind of operation that Puppygram, in particular, runs, and they're a very bad actor in this industry,” he said Wednesday.
Between April 2022 and September 2023, Louisville Metro Animal Services received nine complaints about Puppygram, but none of them resulted in violations. The Humane Society of the United States said more than 400 communities nationwide have passed laws to ban the retail sale of dogs and cats, including in Elizabethtown and Radcliff.
While not specifically speaking to practices at Puppygram, Blevins believes, in general, for-profit pet stores rely on “high-volume breeders” to supply puppies. He said a recent nationwide study showed, out of 8,000 puppy-buyer complaints, more than 60% involved a sick puppy.
More than 475 other cities nationwide have passed similar legislation. In 2012, the average USDA licensed puppy mill had 87 breeding dogs. By 2022, that number went down to 57.
Once Louisville's law went into effect, if a pet store doesn't switch to selling dogs from a rescue organization rather than a breeder, it will pay the price. Fines range from $500-$2,500, and the business could even lose its license.
But Puppygram has called the ordinance unconstitutional and filed a lawsuit against Metro Louisville Codes and Regulations. Nader Shunnarah, an attorney representing Puppygram, said the ordinance unfairly targets pet shops while allowing kennels to continue operating.
“They still allow kennels to operate, and under the definition of kennels is a pet shop,” she said. “That doesn't really make a whole lot of sense.”
In a written statement Wednesday, Louisville Metro Animal Services said it's “dedicated to enforcing ordinances passed by Metro Council” but declined to comment on the lawsuit.
Shunnarah said Wednesday that Puppygram offers a warranty on every pet if any issues arise.
“We will be happy to take the animals back and make a full refund,” she said.
It's unclear how long the legal battle will last, but, for now, Puppygram remains open and said they will still continue to sell animals.
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