[00:18:12] NO. [00:19:58] MHM. [00:21:00] METRO TV WILL START IN 30 SECONDS. [00:23:40] YOU GOT HERE? ALRIGHT FOLKS, WE FOUND HANDLE QUORUM. ALL RIGHT. THIS IS A REGULAR SKETCH OF [Call to Order] [Roll Call] [00:23:53] MEETING OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE. PRESIDENT CHAMBERS IS COUNSELOR HUDSON COUNSELING OWEN. COUNSELING BENSON AH! IMPORTANT. OH NO. BECAUSE IT UP ON THE SCREEN. WE HAVE COUNCILMAN RASHAD COMMITTEE MEMBER COUNCIL AND FLOOD COUNCILMAN REED. COUNCILMAN SIGN. AND. THAT WILL MAKE US A QUORUM, SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, MADAM CHAIR, WILL YOU READ THE DISCLAIMER? THIS MEETING HAS BEEN HERE PERSON ARCTIC AREAS, 61.826 AND COUNSELOR FADDEN THAT A READING FOR ALL RIGHT, AND FOR THE RECORD ALSO COUNSELING. HAWKINS HAS AN EXCUSED ABSENCE FOR THE DAY. ALRIGHT, FOLKS, WE'VE GOT ONE ITEM ON OUR AGENDA TODAY. IT'S ITEM NUMBER 10-193 [Pending Legislation] DASH 23 AND ORDINANCE AMENDING THE LITTLE METAL CODE OF ORDINANCES CHAPTER 91 PROHIBITING THE SALE OF DOGS AND CATS BY RETAIL PET STORES. IS THERE A MOTION MOTION, OKAY? ACTUALLY YOU CAN'T BECAUSE WE HAVE TWO MEMBERS HERE THAT COUNSELOR BAKER AND A COUNSELOR [00:25:04] BENSON OR NOT THE COMMITTEE SO THEY CAN'T MAKE MOTIONS SOMEBODY ELSE WHEN THAT MOTION MOTION. ITEMS PROPERLY BEFORE US COUNSELOR BENSON, THIS IS YOUR ORDINANCE. I'M GOING TO TENDER THE FLOOR TO YOU. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR, PRESIDENT. UH, WE HAVE A BUNCH OF PEOPLE HERE SPEAK ABOUT THIS THAT WE'VE WORKED ON THIS THING FOR ABOUT SEVEN OR EIGHT MONTHS OR MAYBE LONGER. AND I'VE GOT A LOT OF INPUT. WE THINK WE'VE GOT A PRETTY GOOD ORDINANCE IT WOULD DEAL WITH, UH ANIMAL CRUELTY AND, UH TAKE MAKE SURE THAT ANIMALS WERE TAKEN CARE OF RIGHT AWAY. UM, I LIKE TO HAVE THEM SINCE THEY'RE HERE TO SPEAK, AND WE'RE GONNA TABLE TO SINGING, LET THEM PRESENTING CASE AND SHOW YOU WHY WE THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT. OKAY UH, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS I DID RECEIVE AN EMAIL THAT I'M GOING TO READ AND WE'RE GOING TO PUT INTO THE RECORD. UH TODAY. WE HAVE PEOPLE HERE SPEAK FOR THIS, BUT WE'RE NOT REALLY INVITED ANYONE WHO MIGHT BE AGAINST THIS. AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO PUT OUT THERE AND WE NEED TO BE TALKING ABOUT, UH, WHERE THE PROS AND CONS OF THIS PARTICULAR PIECE OF LEGISLATION. SO, UH, THIS IS AN EMAIL FROM A COUPLE OF MY CONSTITUENTS JEFF AND NANCY KELLY COUNTY. THEY ARE PART OF THE 4 90 PROJECT. AND ESSENTIALLY, THE EMAIL READS. THANKS FOR HAVING THAT TOWN HALL HAD A GOOD CONVERSATION WITH THE SERGEANT FROM ANIMAL CONTROL. HE INFORMED ME THAT THERE ARE ONLY TWO ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS SO THAT CURRENTLY THERE'S NO INSPECTIONS HAPPENING FOR SMALL SCALE BREEDER HOMES. THAT DOES NOT JIBE WITH THE IDEA OF STOPPING PUPPY MILLS. THIS IS A PROCESS THIS PROPOSED ORDINANCE SEEMS MISGUIDED TO ME. ALL RETAIL STORES OF PUPPIES ARE BANNED IN THE COUNTY. ALL I NEED TO DO IS GO ACROSS THE RIVER TO GET ONE. THERE ARE ADVERTISEMENTS IN THE CLASSIFIED ADS DAILY. PEOPLE ARE NOW BEGINNING TO OFFER PUPPIES FOR SALE ON NEXT DOOR. NEIGHBOR APPS AS WELL. MY FIRST READING THIS ORDINANCE IS THAT HIS ANTI BUSINESS MORE THAN ANYTHING. IF YOU GOOGLE PET STORES THAT SELL ANIMALS, YOU GET A LIST OF 18 BUSINESSES THAT WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS ORDINANCE. ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS MOVE THEIR BUSINESSES OUTSIDE THE COUNTY, AND THIS ORDINANCE HAS NO MEANING. QUESTION HOW IT WILL AFFECT THE PUPPY MILLS AT ALL. IT MEANS I WILL NEED TO DRIVE A LITTLE FURTHER TO GET A PUPPY OR PERHAPS GET ONE FROM A PUPPY DOGS TO RESELL. IT WILL AFFECTL PEOPLE WHO MIGHT HAVE TRANSPORTATION. MIGHT NOT HAVE TRANSPORTATION. TO GET OUT OF THE COUNTY. THIS ORDINANCE SHOULD BE DESIGNED TO PUSH RETAIL STORES INTO SELF REGULATION REGULATION NOT OUT OF THE COUNTY. SHOULD THIS IT SHOULD REQUIRE RETAILERS TO COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT ABOUT WHERE THEIR ANIMALS COME FROM, PERHAPS INCENTIVES TO WORK WITH LOCALS. LIKE LICENSED BREEDERS OR OFFER RESCUE DOGS THAT COME WITH SUPPORT SERVICES OFFERED BY THE RETAILER. BREEDERS WHO HOSTS THE ANIMALS FOR RETAIL SELL IN THE COUNTY SHOULD HAVE TO REGISTER AND GET A LICENSE. THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE PROMOTE BUSINESS AND POSITIVE GROWTH IN THE PET RETAIL BUSINESS. CONSUMER EDUCATION IS ALSO POSITIVE GROWTH KEY. WE DO NOT OFFER A RESOURCE ON HOW AND WHERE TO PICK A CERTIFIED AND LICENSED BREEDER. NOT ALL PEOPLE ARE RESCUE DOG PEOPLE. DO WE OFFER COURSES OR SEMINARS ON PET OWNERSHIP? HOW DO WE WORK WITH RETAILERS? TO DO THIS IF WE DON'T GIVE THEM THE OPTION OF SELLING RETAIL ANIMALS. PROBABLY MILL. ARE THE PROBLEM THEN WE SHOULD BE AGGRESSIVE, MAKING SURE NONE EXIST IN THE COUNTY, NOT MAKING IT HARDER TO GET A PUPPY. THIS ORDINANCE APPEARS TO BE A REWRITE. ON THE EXISTING ORDINANCE WITH. THE EMOTION OF THE S. P. C. A ADDED WE SHOULD THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX TO BE POSITIVE GROWTH, NOT NEGATIVE RESTRICTION. HOW WILL WE BE A WORLD CLASS CITY? IF THE WORD ON THE STREET IS THAT WE DON'T LIKE PETS. WE DON'T EVEN LET THEM BE SOLD HERE. THIS ORDINANCE GENERATED A LOT OF TALK IN OUR SPIDER WEB GROUPS AND I WISH TO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO COMMENT. I DO NOT ASK FOR REPLY , BUT I DO ASK YOU TO PUT MY COMMENTS INTO YOUR THOUGHTS AS YOU DISCUSSED THIS ORDINANCE NOW, I DON'T READ THAT TO YOU TO SAY THAT. I'M ANTI THIS ORDINANCE. I READ THAT TO YOU BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE PEOPLE HERE TODAY ARE HERE TO SPEAK POSITIVELY ABOUT THIS ORDINANCE. AND SO I PUT THE NEGATIVES OUT THERE SO THAT YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO ADDRESS THOSE HERE TODAY. I HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND THAT. WITH THAT BEING SAID. WE'RE JOINED BY COUNCILMAN HAMBURG. AND AT THIS POINT WE WANT TO CALL UP TODD [00:30:02] BLEVINS FROM THE KENTUCKY HUMANE SOCIETY TO SPEAK TO THIS ORDINANCE. TODD IF YOU WILL TAKE THE PODIUM, ADDRESS YOURSELF FOR THE RECORD, AND THEN YOU HAVE THE FLOOR, SIR. THANK YOU. CHAIRMAN IS THIS OKAY FOR METRO TV PURPOSES? WELL THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN. UM I'M TODD BLEVINS. FOR THE RECORD. I'M THE STATE DIRECTOR FOR THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES. I LOVE THE GOOD FOLKS AT KENTUCKY HUMANE, BUT I DON'T WANT TO BE SEEN AS REPRESENTING THEM. UM, SO JUST A QUICK CLARIFICATION THERE, BUT IT'S A REAL HONOR TO BE BEFORE YOU ALL HERE. THIS EVENING AND TO THE MEMBERS JOINING VIRTUALLY IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE WITH YOU AS WELL. I LIVE IN RICHMOND , MYSELF. RICHMOND KENTUCKY, BUT I WORKED STATEWIDE. I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF GETTING TO WORK ON THESE SORTS OF ISSUES FOR A LIVING. AND SO IT'S A REAL HONOR TO BE HERE WITH YOU THIS EVENING. I SENT OVER SOME COMMENTS OF MY OWN ABOUT THREE HOURS AGO. SORRY FOR THE DELAY IN THAT, BUT I'M NOT SURE IF YOU ALL HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THOSE, BUT I DO HAVE TESTIMONY THAT I'M PREPARED TO GIVE TONIGHT. UH CHAIRMAN. I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE TIME LIMIT IS. I'LL TRY TO BE RESPECTFUL OF AS MUCH TIME. AS YOU KNOW, I NEED TO ALLOCATE WE DON'T REALLY HAVE OFFICIAL TIMELINES OTHER THAN THIS MEETING NEEDS TO END BY SIX O'CLOCK, OKAY. COMMITMENTS ALRIGHT, MORE TIME. WE DO HAVE YOU SPEAKING, WE HAVE MICHELLE LAWSON SPEAKING TO THIS, AND THEN WE HAVE, UH, ASHLEY BOOK R. L M. E S DIRECTOR HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BODY THAT MIGHT HAVE BE HOW THIS IS ENFORCED OR WHATEVER ELSE SOUNDS GREAT, SAID TRY TO BE REASONABLE AND THERE'LL BE QUESTIONS FROM THE FROM THE BODY AND YOU MAY SPEAK AND YOU MAY COME BACK AND SPEAK AGAIN. BASED ON THE QUESTIONS SOUNDS GREAT. THANK YOU. UH, SO ON BEHALF OF OUR THOUSANDS OF SUPPORTERS IN LOUISVILLE. ELSEWHERE IN KENTUCKY, I'M WRITING TO EXPRESS THE HUMAN SIDE OF THE UNITED STATES. FULL SUPPORT OF THIS ORDINANCE AND AGAIN, WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE THIS EVENING. UM AS OF THE TIME OF THIS WRITING WHEN I SUBMITTED THIS TO YOU EARLIER 472 COMMUNITIES ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE PASSED SIMILAR ORDINANCES IN THEIR OWN JURISDICTIONS. AND THAT'S TO PROTECT BOTH PETS AND PET OWNERS IN THEIR COMMUNITY. THESE LOCALITIES WITHIN KENTUCKY INCLUDE ELIZABETHTOWN AND RADCLIFFE, WHO HAVE ALREADY TAKEN THIS STEP AND PASSED A SIMILAR ORDINANCE AND SHEPHERDSVILLE HAS ALREADY EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN PASSING A SIMILAR ORDINANCE, IN LARGE PART THANKS TO THE MIRROR INTRODUCTION OF THIS ORDINANCE, SO A LOT OF FOLKS ARE EXCITED ABOUT THIS AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE SOME OF US HERE IN THE ROOM THIS EVENING. UM IN COUNSELING. BENSON. WE WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON BRINGING THIS ISSUE TO THE TABLE. I'M NOT SURE IF ANY MEMBERS HAD A CHANCE TO SEE THE STORIES FROM WDRB AND WAVE THAT CAME OUT OVER THE PAST WEEK, BUT BOTH OF THOSE HIGHLIGHTED TO LOUISVILLE AREA EXCUSE ME. THREE LOUISVILLE AREA FAMILIES THAT PURCHASED PUPPIES FROM ONE PARTICULAR PET STORE WITHIN LOUISVILLE. THAT STORE IS CALLED PUPPY, GRAHAM. AND ALL THREE OF THOSE FAMILIES SUFFERED AS A AS A RESULT OF BUYING THE PUPPY FROM THAT STORE. SO WHAT HAPPENED IS THEY PURCHASED THE PUPPY AND WITHIN DAYS, SOMETIMES HOURS OF BRINGING THAT PUPPY HOME, IT BECAME VIOLENTLY ILL. I DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT DIAGNOSIS FOR EACH ONE OF THEM. BUT I DO KNOW THAT THEY WERE ALL OBVIOUSLY TAKEN OFF GUARD BY THIS. YOU DON'T EXPECT TO PURCHASE A PUPPY AND IT BECOMES SICK WITHIN HOURS OF GETTING AT HOME. SO ALL THREE OF THEM ENCOURAGE SIGNIFICANT VETERINARY EXPENSES AND TRYING TO CARE FOR THE SICK PUPPIES. UH AND, THANKFULLY, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, ALL THREE PUPPIES HAVE MADE IT THROUGH AND THAT'S WONDERFUL. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, ALL THREE PET OWNERS ARE LEFT. HOLDING THE BAG ON THESE VETERINARY COSTS AND AT LEAST ONE PET OWNER. THE GENTLEMAN'S NAME IS BRIAN HALFAKER, HE WAS QUOTED IN THE WAVE ARTICLE. HE APPROACHED THE STORE. NUMEROUS TIMES AND ASKED IF THERE WAS ANY SORT OF POSSIBILITY OF WORKING WITHIN TWO TO BE RECOUPED SOME OF THESE VETERINARY COSTS. AND AFTER INITIALLY ENGAGING WITH HIM ON THIS, THEY THEY EVENTUALLY JUST STOPPED ALL COMMUNICATION. AND SO MR HALFAKER BETWEEN THE PURCHASE PRICE OF THE PUPPY IN THE VETERINARY EXPENSES HAS BEEN LEFT WITH ALMOST $8000 OF EXPENSES. UM AND SO YOU CAN SEE WHY HE WOULD WOULD BE AGGRIEVED, BUT UM GOING BEYOND JUST THIS SPECIFIC CASES. I WANT TO BRING THOSE UP BECAUSE THESE ARE OBVIOUSLY IN YOUR BACKYARD AND HENCE THE IMMEDIACY IN THE URGENCY OF THIS ORDINANCE. BUT I WON'T WANT TO ALSO TALK ABOUT THE MODEL IN GENERAL, THE PUPPY SELLING PET STORE MODEL IN GENERAL. SO. IT'S A WELL DOCUMENTED FACT THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF PUPPIES THAT COME FROM PUPPY SELLING PET STORES COME FROM PUPPY MILLS, WHICH I THINK YOU KNOW, IN THE COMMON NOMENCLATURE. EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT A PUPPY MILL IS. BUT IN CASE YOU DON'T WE'RE TALKING [00:35:03] HIGH VOLUME COMMERCIAL BREEDERS THAT UH, PUT PROFIT OVER THE WELFARE OF THEIR ANIMALS AND CONTINUALLY BREATHE THEIR ANIMALS AGAIN AND AGAIN. AND SO MOST OF THESE PUPPY MILLS ARE LOCATED OUT OF STATE. THEY'RE THEY'RE LARGELY CONCENTRATED. MISSOURI, IOWA, OTHER STATES. UM . AND THE REASON THAT I MEAN WE KNOW FROM PUBLIC RECORDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT THAT IS WELL DOCUMENTED FACT. BUT IF YOU THINK BEYOND THAT PET STORES THAT WANT TO HAVE ANY DESIRABLE BREED OF THE DAY SIMPLY CAN'T FILL THEIR KENNELS WITH WITH DOGS WITHOUT GOING THROUGH THESE HIGH VOLUME, COMMERCIAL BREEDERS, PUPPY MILLS. AND SO UH HUH. ABOUT SPARE YOU THE DETAILS ON ON, YOU KNOW THE TRANSFER OF ILLNESS BETWEEN THE PUPPIES, BUT I'D BE HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT THAT, UH, LATER ON IN THE EVENING, BUT IT'S NO SURPRISE THAT WHEN PUPPIES COME FROM OUT OF STATE MILLS INTO A COMMUNITY LIKE LOUISVILLE, IT'S NO SURPRISE THAT MANY OF THEM ARE GOING TO DEVELOP SOME SORT OF ILLNESS ON THE WAY. AND SO AS A RESULT, IT'S NO SURPRISE THAT THE INDIVIDUALS IN THE WAVE AND WDR BE STORIES HAD SICK PUPPIES THEMSELVES. IT'S SIMPLY AGAIN PART OF THE NATURE OF THE PUPPY SELLING PET STORE MODEL. AND SO WHILE THERE ARE STORES IN LOUISVILLE THAT ENGAGED IN THIS PRACTICE, AND, UH, TO MY UNDERSTANDING, CHAIRMAN OF THE INDIVIDUAL YOU MENTIONED, UH, I BELIEVE THEY QUOTED 18 BUSINESSES AFFECTED BY THIS ORDINANCE THAT THAT NUMBER SEEMS AWFULLY HIGH TO ME. WE'RE ONLY AWARE OF TWO STORES WITHIN LOUISVILLE THAT THAT SELL PUPPIES. UM ENGAGE IN THE RETAIL SALES PUPPIES. UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THEY HAVE A LISTING OR SOMETHING. I'D BE HAPPY TO TALK MORE ABOUT THAT. GO AHEAD. THAT'S ONE OF THE BENEFITS ALSO OF READING THE NEGATIVE INTO THE RECORDS. YOU GIVE THE ABILITY THEN TO COUNTER THAT. YES, SIR. YES. SO WE'RE ONLY AWARE OF TWO BUSINESSES THAT ENGAGE IN THIS TYPE OF MODEL AND I DO WANT TO SAY FOR THE RECORD THE VAST MAJORITY OF PET STORES IN LOUISVILLE. DO NOT ENGAGE IN THIS PRACTICE. FEEDER SUPPLY DOES NOT ENGAGE IN THIS PRACTICE . SANDY'S PETSMART, PETCO BOURBON CITY, BAR KHOURY ON AND ON AND ON. INSTEAD. WHAT MANY OF THEM WILL DO. IS A MORE HUMANE MODEL. THEY WILL PARTNER WITH SHELTER AND RESCUE GROUPS TO PROMOTE ADOPTION ADOPTABLE ANIMALS THAT ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH THOSE SHELTERS AND RESCUES. UM THAT'S OBVIOUSLY A FAR PREFERABLE MODEL FOR, YOU KNOW ANY NUMBER OF REASONS, BUT AH, THIS PROPOSED ORDINANCE WOULD NOT IMPACT THAT WHATSOEVER . IN FACT, IT WOULD ENCOURAGE STORES TO FOLLOW THAT MODEL. AND I DO ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE PET STORE, UH SIDE OF THIS IS JUST ONE SIDE OF THE ORDINANCE. DESPITE THE TITLE OF ONLY REFERRING TO PET STORES. THIS ORDINANCE WOULD ALSO CRACKDOWN ON THE SALE OF PUPPIES, KITTENS. IN VENUES LIKE FLEA MARKETS AND PARKING LOTS, WHICH YOU KNOW I DON'T LIVE IN LOUISVILLE MYSELF. BUT I UNDERSTAND IS A IS A RELATIVELY COMMON PRACTICE TO AND HAS ITS OWN HOST OF PROBLEMS THERE. BUT I DO WANT TO SAY, UH, AS AS A WHOLE, WHETHER YOU'RE TALKING PET STORES OR THINGS LIKE FLEA MARKETS. THIS ORDINANCE WILL NOT IMPACT RESPONSIBLE BREEDERS UNEQUIVOCALLY, AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF RESPONSIBLE BREEDER IS NEVER GOING TO SELL THEIR PUPPIES THROUGH A PET STORE OR AT AN EVENT LIKE A FLEA MARKET. A RESPONSIBLE BREEDER IS GOING TO HAVE AS MUCH INTEREST IN MAKING SURE THAT THAT PUPPY THAT THEY HAD RAISED GOES TO A GOOD HOME AS THE INDIVIDUAL THAT IS BUYING THE PUPPY HAS AN INTEREST IN MAKING SURE THAT THE PUPPY IS HEALTHY. UM AND SUITABLE FOR THEIR OWN HOME. AND I DO WANT TO SAY YOU. YOU MENTIONED THE NEGATIVE AGAIN CHAIRMAN. THIS IS NOT ANTI BREEDER. I WANT TO SAY THAT FOR THE RECORD AS WELL, UH, IN IN THE INDIVIDUAL, MADE A STATEMENT THAT RESCUE DOGS AREN'T FOR EVERYBODY. THAT'S TRUE. RESCUE DOGS AREN'T FOR EVERYBODY. AND SO NEVER, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THIS ORDINANCE PASSES OR NOT, WHICH WE HOPE THAT IT WILL. AN INDIVIDUAL STILL BE ABLE TO FIND AND SEEK AND OBTAIN A DOG FROM A RESPONSIBLE PARTY HERE. UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT FOR THE RECORD AS WELL. AND SO IN CLOSING HERE, AT LEAST INITIALLY. UM I'M SURE YOU ALL HAVE HAVE HEARD AT LEAST TANGENTIALLY THAT PET OVERPOPULATION HAS BEEN A REAL PROBLEM. NOT JUST IN LOUISVILLE , BUT EVERYWHERE ELSE IN AND THAT'S NO. THAT'S NO SLIDE AGAINST L M A S OR ANY OTHER AGENCY HERE IN LOUISVILLE. BUT IT IS NEVERTHELESS TRUE THAT PET OVERPOPULATION IS A REAL ISSUE RIGHT NOW. AND SO THIS ORDINANCE IS DESIGNED TO TRY TO HELP OUT WITH THAT, WHILE ALSO PROMOTING ADOPTABLE ANIMALS RESPONSIBLE FOR YEARS. UH AND MAINTAINING CONSUMER CHOICE, SO I DO WANT TO [00:40:02] POINT OUT A COUPLE OF THINGS BEFORE I STEPPED DOWN INITIALLY, CHAIRMAN IN THE PACKET THAT I INITIALLY SENT YOU IS A LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM LOCAL AGENCIES. AGENCIES IS THE WRONG WORD FROM LOCAL GROUPS AND SUPPORT OF THIS ORDINANCE. UH THOSE INCLUDE HUMANE BUSINESSES RANGING FROM P. J. P. J AND J'S DOG PARK BAR LUCKY CAT CAFE. THEY'RE OBVIOUSLY NATIONAL ANIMAL WELFARE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE ONE THAT I REPRESENT IN SUPPORT OF THIS, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, FOR YOUR PURPOSES IS THE LIST OF ANIMAL WELFARE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE LOUISVILLE AREA AND ELSEWHERE IN KENTUCKY, THE ARROW FUNDED SUPPORTIVE OF THIS CAT HIT KITTIES RESCUE GRAND, UM, KENTUCKY ANIMAL ACTION, WHICH MISS MISS LAWSON IS REPRESENTING? THE KENTUCKY LICIOUS KENTUCKY COALITION FOR ANIMAL PROTECTION. MY DOG EATS FIRST. NO KILL LOUISVILLE PIT BULLS OF SAINT FRANCIS DOG RESCUE SHAMROCK PET FOUNDATION, AND THE LIST GOES ON. AND SO WITH THAT I WILL STEP ASIDE INITIALLY, CHAIRMAN BUT I AM HAPPY TO STEP BACK UP. ANSWER SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL, UM, CONCERNS THAT WERE RAISED BY YOUR CONSTITUENT. AND GO FROM THERE. AND THAT EMAIL IS IN THE RECORD NOW, SO YES, SIR. THANK YOU. PERFECT. ANY QUESTIONS? MOMENT. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE YOU. MR KIM. MR HUDSON. GOOD. I JUST WANT TO GO BACK TO ONE OF THE STATEMENTS YOU MADE IN YOUR PRESENTATION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. UM AND I TRIED TO WRITE IT DOWN. AS YOU SAID IT. IT'S WELL DOCUMENTED FACT THAT THE BEST MAJORITY OF PUPPIES SOLD IN RETAIL PET STORES COME FROM PUPPY MILLS. SO WE'VE GOT TWO QUESTIONS THAT CAME FROM THAT STATE, SIR. ONE IS. DO YOU HAVE A LIST OF WHAT YOU CALL PUPPY MILLS, AND I'M NOT EVEN SURE THERE IS A DEFINITION OF WHAT A PUPPY MILL IS. BUT DO YOU HAVE A LIST OF THOSE THAT YOU COULD PROVIDE THIS COMMITTEE AND THEN MY SECOND QUESTION IS, CAN YOU PROVIDE THIS COMMITTEE WITH THE DOCUMENTS THAT YOU REFERENCED YOU SAID. IT'S A WELL DOCUMENTED FACTS. SO THERE'S THOSE DOCUMENTS MUST EXIST SOMEWHERE. YES, SIR, SO AS FAR AS A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF PUPPY MILLS, UM, AS YOU SAY, THERE IS NO UH, WEBSTER'S DICTIONARY DEFINITION OF A PUPPY MILL. AND SO CONSEQUENTLY THERE IS NO DATABASE OF PUPPY MILLS. HOWEVER WE DO MAINTAIN A LIST OF PUPPY MILLS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. ONE OF THE REPORTS THAT WE PUT OUT EVERY YEAR IS CALLED THE HORRIBLE 100. IT'S A LIST OF 100. 100 OF THE WORST PUPPY MILLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. UH AND IT'S BEEN DOCUMENTED IN THAT REPORT. YEAR AFTER YEAR. WE'VE DONE THIS REPORT SOMETHING LIKE A DOZEN YEARS. A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF THOSE PUPPY MILLS HAVE BEEN LINKED TO PET STORES. IN THAT REPORT AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN, IT HAPPENS EVERY YEAR. AND SO I'M HAPPY TO PROVIDE THAT DOCUMENTATION TO THE COMMITTEE. UM AND IN THE SECOND PART OF YOUR QUESTION STATE THAT AGAIN, FORMER COUNCILMAN IF YOU DON'T MIND WITH YOUR PERMISSION, MR. CHAIR. UM YOUR STATEMENT WAS, IT'S WELL DONE. IT'S A WELL DOCUMENTED FACT THAT THE BEST MAJORITY OF PUPPIES SOLD IN RETAIL PET STORES COME FROM PUPPY MILLS. IT'S A WELL DOCUMENTED FACT. THOSE DOCUMENTS MUST. YES, SIR. JUST ASKING IF YOU COULD PROVIDE THOSE DOCUMENTS WOULD BE HAPPY TO INCLUDE THAT IN A FOLLOW UP TO THE TO THE ENTIRE COMMITTEE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL, KNOWING UM. THANK YOU. CHAIR. APPRECIATE IT. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. UM YOU MENTIONED THAT THIS IS A INORDINATE, A SIMILAR ORDINANCE TOO MANY THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED IN JURISDICTIONS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE EFFECTIVENESS WHAT WE SAW BEFOREHAND AND WHAT WE NOW SEE AFTER IN SOME OF THOSE JURISDICTIONS? YES SIR. AND I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION, COUNCILMAN UM, SO EVERY YEAR THE U S D A PUTS EXCUSE ME EVERY I THINK EVERY DECADE, THE USDA PUTS OUT A LIST OF HOW MANY BREEDING DOGS ARE WITHIN AN AVERAGE LICENSED BREEDER, BECAUSE FOR A BREEDER TO SELL PUPPIES IN A PET STORE. THEY HAVE TO HAVE FIVE. OR MORE BREEDING FEMALES TO BE REGISTERED BY THE USDA. SO THE USDA TO GO BACK TO YOUR QUESTION, COUNCILMAN IS REALLY THE ONLY SEMI DECENT SOURCE OF INFORMATION ON THAT, BESIDES THE INFORMATION THAT WE'VE COMPILED BUT MORE DIRECTLY ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, COUNSELOR. NO. AND IN 2012, THERE WAS AN AVERAGE OF 87 BREEDING FEMALE DOGS IN A PUPPY MILL, AND THAT'S THE USDA RECORDS 87 BREEDING FEMALES IN 2012. IN 2022. THAT NUMBER HAS BEEN LOWERED TO 57. SO YOU'RE TALKING AN AVERAGE OF 30 LESS BREEDING DOGS PER OPERATION. AND SO WHEN YOU TRANSLATE THAT INTO REAL NUMBERS IF YOU TAKE THE NUMBER OF READERS THAT ARE REGISTERED WITH USDA, THAT'S [00:45:01] ABOUT 32,000 FEWER DOGS THAT ARE IN A PUPPY MILL BETTER IN CAGES DAY AFTER DAY, UM AND NEVER GET TO INTERACT WITH THE HUMAN AND DO THE THINGS THAT DOGS ARE, YOU KNOW, MEANT TO DO. AND SO WHAT HAS OCCURRED BETWEEN 2012 AND 2022? THAT'S THE QUESTION THAT FOLLOWS RIGHT A LOT OF THESE ORDINANCES HAVE PASSED IN THAT TIME PERIOD AND I FORGOT TO MENTION IN MY OPENING REMARKS. 472 COMMUNITIES HAVE DONE THIS, BUT SEVEN STATES HAVE DONE THIS AS WELL. SO THIS IS A THIS IS NOT YOU KNOW, LOCAL METRO TAKING THE PLUNGE ON THIS. THIS IS A PROVEN CONCEPT, JUST AS IT'S WELL DOCUMENTED THAT THIS IS A LEADER WHERE THE PUPPIES ARE COMING FROM. IT'S ALSO WELL DOCUMENTED THAT THESE ORDINANCES ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE. SO I APPRECIATE THAT QUESTION. SO AS A FOLLOW UP IF I MAY SO THERE ARE TWO PARTS TO THIS AGAIN, ONE PART IS KIND OF THE RETAIL SIDE AND ONE PART OF THIS IS THE PUPPY MILL SIDE. UM AND. YOU GUYS THINK THAT BOTH OF THOSE PIECES OF LEGISLATION ARE REQUIRED IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS EFFECTIVE INSTEAD? I MEAN, BECAUSE I THINK ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT THE IT'S GONNA HAPPENED UP HERE IS ARE WE TARGETING THE RIGHT? PEOPLE HERE , SHOULDN'T YOU? SHOULD WE BE DIRECTING THIS MORE AT THE PUPPY MILLS THEMSELVES. AS OPPOSED TO THE ONE OR TWO PLACES. POTENTIALLY IN LOUISVILLE THAT ARE SELLING. I'M NOT SAYING IT'S RIGHT OR WRONG, ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. I JUST IT'S AN INTERESTING QUESTION. I THINK IT IS AND I THINK THE BEST WAY TO ANSWER THAT COUNCILMAN IS THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT MOST OF THE PUPPY MILLS THAT ARE OUT THERE ARE LOCATED IN THE MIDWEST. MISSOURI, IOWA, OHIO, INDIANA. THEY'RE NOT IN KENTUCKY . AS IT TURNS OUT, THERE ARE PLENTY OF UNLICENSED BREEDERS IN KENTUCKY. BUT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE DATA THAT WE KNOW THAT IS THE USDA LICENSED BREEDERS THAT HAVE 60 90 DOGS, WHICH WE WOULD STILL CALL A PUPPY MILL. THOSE ARE NOT HERE. THOSE ARE NOT WITHIN LOUISVILLE . THEY'RE NOT WITHIN KENTUCKY. AND SO YOU ASK. WELL, HOW CAN WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE? HOW CAN WE CRACK DOWN ON PUPPY MILL ABUSE? IT'S BY ELIMINATING SOME OF THE OUTLETS THAT THESE PUPPY MILLS USED TO GET THEIR DOGS OUT INTO THE PUBLIC, OR THE TWO OF THE MOST COMMON OUTLETS ARE RETAIL PET STORES AND FLEA MARKETS. THINGS LIKE THAT. AND SO THIS IS WE THINK THIS IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE APPROACH TO DO THAT, WITH RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE WITH WHAT THE INDIVIDUAL THAT EMAIL CHAIRMAN AKERSON SAID ABOUT THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT WAY TO GO ABOUT IT. I THINK YOU KNOW THE ALTERNATIVES THAT ARE AVAILABLE? YOU KNOW, BANNING BREEDERS? I DON'T THINK A THAT THAT'S UH, POLITICALLY FEASIBLE AND SECONDLY, I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S THE BEST USE OF COUNCILS TIME. SO WE CONTINUE TO THINK THAT THIS IS THE BEST APPROACH TO TRY TO PUT A DENT IN SOME OF THIS PUPPY MILL. BEAVIS. OKAY. AND ONE MORE THING IF I MAY, UM, I APPRECIATE THAT. THAT'S VERY HELPFUL. UM THE LAST PIECE OF THIS WOULD BE THE ENFORCEMENT PIECE OF THIS. AND CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT, TOO, THAT HOW OTHER OTHER PLACES HAVE DONE IT ? AND THEN, UH, I THINK WE'LL NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE RESOURCES IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT AGAIN IF WE DO THIS, THAT THAT IT'S AS EFFECTIVE AS WE WANTED TO BE SURE, UM, SO IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING UNDER THE STATUS QUO COUNCILMAN THAT ELEMENT A S IS OBLIGATED TO GO TO SAY, PUPPY GRAHAM EVERY TIME THEY RECEIVE A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE STORE. AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THEY'VE BEEN OUT THERE NUMEROUS TIMES BECAUSE WE'RE CERTAINLY NOT THE ONLY ONES THAT HAVE HAVE RAISED THE ALARM ABOUT PUPPY GRAHAM. I MEAN, EVER SINCE THEY OPENED LAST YEAR, NUMEROUS INDIVIDUALS IN THE COMMUNITY HAVE RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT THEM, AND THAT'S ALL HAPPENED. YOU KNOW ON THEIR OWN. IT'S THIS IS FOLKS DON'T LIKE THEM LOCALLY. WELL, THAT'S PROBABLY THE EASIEST WAY TO PUT IT. AND SO THE LONGER THAT THAT PERSISTS. THE LONGER THAT ELEMENT IS OBLIGATED TO GO OUT THERE EVERY TIME. THAT SALUTES THE ENFORCEMENT. IF AS THIS INDIVIDUAL SAID ELMO HAS ONLY HAS TWO ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS, WHICH I DON'T THINK IT'S TRUE AND THIS BOOK AND CERTAINLY ATTEST TO THAT. BUT YOU HAVE TO ASK YOURSELF. WHAT'S THE BETTER ALTERNATIVE TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THEM WASTE THE LITTLE RESOURCES THEY HAVE RIGHT NOW ON THESE, YOU KNOW INSPECTIONS. OR. TO TELL THE PUPPY TO TELL THE PET STORE. THIS IS THIS IS HOW YOU HAVE TO DO BUSINESS NOW. UM AND THAT'S THAT SOUNDS A LITTLE HARSHER THAN IT IS. AND I DO WANT TO SAY ONE OTHER THING ABOUT THE ORDINANCE. IT DOES GIVE THE TO PET STORES THAT ENGAGE IN THIS KIND OF PRACTICE A YEAR. TO PHASE OUT THERE THE RETAIL SALES SIDE THAT THEY DO. AND SO THIS I WILL NOT PUT ANY. THIS DOES NOT HAVE TO PUT ANY PETS AROUND A BUSINESS FOR THE RECORD. THERE IS NO OBLIGATION UNDER THIS ORDINANCE FOR PET STORE TO CLOSE ITS DOORS THE DAY THAT IT PASSES. AND SO. FOR ENFORCEMENT ABILITY. I THINK [00:50:06] THAT IS CERTAINLY A BETTER ALTERNATIVE, AND IT HELPS ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE BURDEN ON L M A S BYPASSING THE ORDINANCE. AGAIN. VERY HELPFUL. THANK YOU. LET ME FOLLOW UP ON THAT REAL QUICKLY HERE. SO FOR ONE YEAR THESE ESTABLISHMENTS WILL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE WITH THE PUBLIC MILLS, UH, TO AN EXTENT, COUNCILMAN. YES SO THERE IS CURRENTLY IN A MY UNDERSTANDING AN AMENDMENT BEING ENTERTAINED BY COUNCILMAN BENSON'S OFFICE THAT WOULD ADD A REGULATION THAT STATES FOR THIS GAP YEAR. I'LL CALL IT THE YEAR BETWEEN PASSAGE AND WHEN IT TAKES EFFECT. THAT THE PET STORES HAVE TO, UH, DISPLAY THE BREEDER INFO. FOR EACH DOG BECAUSE THAT CURRENTLY DOESN'T HAPPEN. THERE'S NO IT'S NOT LIKE WHEN YOU WALK UP TO A KENNEL. YOU CAN SEE THAT THIS DOG IS FROM SO AND SO KENNELS IN MISSOURI. SO THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT WOULD REQUIRE THAT WHICH WE HOPE WOULD MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE. YOUR CONSTITUENT USED THE WORD TRANSPARENT THAT WOULD CERTAINLY HELP FROM THE TRANSPARENCY PERSPECTIVE. AND THIS QUESTION, BABY IS DIRECTED TO YOU. MAYBE IT'S STRICT. ELLA MAE S DIRECTOR COUNCIL BENSON, BUT IN READING THE ORDINANCE AS PROPOSED. I MEAN, WE HEARD ABOUT THE EXAMPLE TODAY OF THE FAMILY THAT HAD TO SPEND $8000 ON THAT BILLS. THE PRESIDENT ORDINANCE. DOES AWAY COMPLETELY WITH SECTION FOUR. IN SECTION FOUR WHEN I READ IT. WELL, MAYBE NOT. A PERFECT SOLUTION, AT LEAST WAS GIVING. YOU KNOW, PET OWNERS. SOME RECOURSE, INCLUDING UNDER SECTION THREE THAT THAT YOU KNOW THEY COULD ATTEMPT TO CURE THE DISEASE DEFECT INFECTION OR TO, UH THE CONDITION CAUSED BY THE DISEASE DEFECT. THE PET SHOPPING ANIMAL DEALER OR OTHER PERSONS SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF THE VETERINARY FEES AND KURD. RELATED TO THE DISEASE DEFECT. INFECTION FOR WHICH THE PUPPY DOG KIT AND KAT BARRETT WAS CERTIFIED AS UNFIT. UP TO THE FULL PURCHASE PRICE. SO WHILE IT'S NOT AND $8000 FIX. IT SEEMS LIKE IF WE'RE GOING TO ALLOW THIS TO CONTINUE ON, POTENTIALLY FOR A YEAR. THE LAST THING WE WANT TO DO IS TO REMOVE SOME RECOURSE FROM THIS. IF NOTHING ELSE, MAYBE THOSE RECOURSES SHOULD COME OUT. A YEAR FROM NOW. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YEAH I UNDERSTAND YOUR YOUR LINE OF INQUIRY THEIR CHAIRMAN. THE THING THAT I WOULD SAY, I WOULD SAY TWO THINGS IN RESPONSE TO THAT FIRST IS THAT THIS ORDINANCES IS STILL IN EFFECT THAT THE ORDINANCE THIS PROPOSED TO BE STRICKEN THROUGH. AND YET IT HASN'T HELPED ANY OF THE THREE FAMILIES AND IT COULD JUST BE THAT THEY WEREN'T AWARE OF IT, UM, AND DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO UTILIZE IT. BUT I THINK THE EASIER ALTERNATIVE RATHER THAN ASKING THE CONSUMER WHO'S BEEN DUPED TO GO LOOKING FOR THIS CLAUSE. IS TO PUT THE IMPETUS ON THE PET STORE TO SAY THAT YOU CAN'T ENGAGE IN THIS KIND OF DECEPTIVE BEHAVIOR IN THE FIRST PLACE AGAIN. MY READING OF THIS AND IT WAS A QUICK READ BEFORE I CAME HERE, SO I JUST HIGHLIGHTING AND SOME SOME SOME NOTES, BUT MY READING OF THIS WAS THAT SECTION THAT I JUST REFERRED TO THAT. PRESENTLY THE PET STORE OWNERS ARE REQUIRED TO GIVE NOTICE OF THAT SECTION TO THE TO THE PURCHASERS AND I TO MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE STORE THAT THAT WAS MENTIONED IN THE MEDIA ARTICLES DID NOT DO THAT. YES SO, UM, I THINK THEY'RE THEY'VE BEEN IN VIOLATION OF A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS. AS THE ARMY S INSPECTIONS HAVE HAVE FOUND, BUT, UH, THAT'S ANOTHER ONE. AND SO I THINK BROADLY SPEAKING, I THINK IF A PET STORE IS GOING TO DO BUSINESS WITH A PUPPY MILL THEY ARE ALSO GOING TO, UH, HOW DO I WANT TO PUT THIS? THEY MAY NOT BE INCLINED TO FOLLOW THE LETTER OF THE LAW ELSEWHERE. WHICH THEN WE'RE BACK TO. THAT'S A POTENTIAL THING THAT WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT ALSO IS THE ENFORCEMENT SIDE OF THINGS. AH! ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL MEMBERS. BUT I DO THAT MR CHAIR AND I'M SORRY FOR NOT QUEUING IN. THAT'S ALL RIGHT. IT'S PRETTY QUICKLY AND I'VE YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT AN ENDORSEMENT ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. BUT DO DO WE KNOW ANY VERY SORT OF FINANCIAL IMPACT STATEMENTS ON WHAT THIS WOULD COST THE PET STORES? WHAT IT WOULD MEAN TO THEIR BUSINESS AND AGAIN. I'M NOT I'M NOT SAYING YES OR NO AND THAT, UH, ADVOCATING ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, BUT AS A SOMEONE THAT'S IN BUSINESS, I'D LIKE TO KNOW. YOU KNOW WHAT THIS IS GOING TO MEAN TO THEM. IN TERMS OF REVENUE. MR VICE CHAIR. UM AND I APPRECIATE THAT QUESTION. UH NO, THERE'S NOT BEEN A TO MY UNDERSTANDING OF FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT DYING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT ON THIS, BUT I WOULD SAY TWO THINGS IN RESPONSE TO THAT. I THINK THAT'S THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PHASE IN UM, I THINK IT'S GENEROUS OF METRO COUNCIL TO CONSIDER THAT TO GIVE THE STORES A YEAR TO ALTER THEIR BUSINESS MODEL. UM [00:55:04] BUT AGAIN, MOST OF THE OTHER STORES OF VAST MAJORITY OF THE OTHER STORES IN THE COMMUNITY ARE DOING JUST FINE. FOLLOWING THE OTHER MODEL, AND AS IT TURNS OUT, THIS IS IN ANOTHER ATTACHMENT THAT I SENT YOU ALL. BUT THE STORES THAT DO NOT ENGAGE IN THE RETAIL SALE OF DOGS AND CATS ACTUALLY HAVE A HIGHER PER SQUARE FOOT PROFIT MARGIN THAN THOSE THAT DO. SO IT JUST MAKES GOOD BUSINESS SENSE TO TRANSFER TO THE MORE HUMANE MODEL AND STORES DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT EITHER. STORES CAN CONTINUE TO ENGAGE IN THE SALE OF SUPPLIES OR EXOTIC PETS, WHICH AREN'T YOU KNOW, IMPACTED BY THIS ORDINANCE AT ALL? SO THERE ARE CERTAINLY OTHER WAYS FOR THEM TO REMAIN AS VIABLE AS THEY ARE NOW. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MHM. NO, MA'AM. I. I THINK, COUNCILWOMAN, I WOULDN'T SAY THAT. I'M COMPLETELY NAIVE TO THE FACT OF HOW THAT WOULD GO. UM, BECAUSE AGAIN, GOING BACK TO THE SHEER NUMBER OF ORDINANCES THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED ELSEWHERE. WE SORT OF KNOW HOW THIS CAN GO ONCE AN ORDINANCE IS IMPLEMENTED. WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE PLENTY OF BUSINESSES THAT SIMPLY SHIFT THEIR BUSINESS MODEL AND CONTINUE TO DO FINE. UM SO PERSONALLY SPEAKING, NO, I DON'T KNOW IN A PET STORE, BUT AND I DON'T YOU KNOW, OPERATE THIS SORT OF BUSINESS, BUT TO SUGGEST THAT ONCE THE ORDINANCES PASSED THAT LOUISVILLE IS GOING TO JUST LOSE TO PET STORES LIKE THAT. I THINK THAT'S THAT'S JUST NOT RIGHT. I DON'T THINK THAT'S ACCURATE. AND I SHOULD I SHOULD POINT OUT I MENTIONED PUPPY GRAHAM IS THE BEEN THE STORE THAT'S MADE THE NEWS. BUT THE OTHER STORE THAT ENGAGES IN THE RETAIL SALE OF DOGS THAT WE'RE AWARE OF IS PETS PALACE, WHICH IS LOCATED JUST OUTSIDE THE HIGHLANDS. THEY DO SELL EXOTIC PETS. THEY SELL SUPPLIES. I THINK THAT THE SALE OF DOGS IS ACTUALLY A PRETTY MINOR COMPONENT OF THEIR BUSINESS. AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, NOT TO SOUND LIKE A BROKEN RECORD, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THE PASSING THIS ORDINANCE WOULD LEAD TO THE COLLAPSE OF THOSE TWO BUSINESSES. UM. IT'S ONE, YOU KNOW, EITHER WAY. I'M NOT SAYING I'M FORWARD . I'M AGAINST IT. UM I'M JUST TRYING TO GET AS MUCH KNOWLEDGE AS POSSIBLE BEING A BUSINESS OWNER MYSELF OPENING UP A BUSINESS NOW IN TODAY'S TIME IS VERY RISKY. UM AND IT IS EASY TO OPEN A BUSINESS, BUT IT'S VERY HARD TO KEEP IT SO IT JUST BAFFLES ME JUST TO TAB IT FOR SOMEONE THAT DOES NOT HAVE A BUSINESS TO WANT ORDINANCE LIKE THIS. IT JUST DOES. UM AS A BUSINESS OWNER. IT'S NOT EASY, SO TO HAVE SOMEONE COME IAND SET RULES, AND THE RULES AREN'T ALREADY IMPLEMENTED. I DON'T REALLY, I MEAN, IT'S JUST SO CAN YOU GIVE ME A LITTLE BIT MORE JUST TO HELP ME A LITTLE BIT. UNDERSTAND? SURE OKAY. I CAN UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN THERE, COUNCILWOMAN, AND THE FIRST THING I WOULD SAY IS THAT I'M NOT SURE WHAT TYPE OF BUSINESS YOU OPERATE YOURSELF. BUT I THINK WHAT DISTINGUISHES THESE BUSINESSES IS THAT THE PRODUCTS THAT THEY ARE DEALING IN, UM, ARE NOT YOU KNOW, PAPER OR PAPER CLIPS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. YOU'RE TALKING LIVE ANIMALS, AND YOU'RE TALKING LIVE ANIMALS THAT HAVE A UNIQUE SORT OF IMPACT ON PEOPLE'S LIVES, SO I DON'T MEAN TO SOUND TOO TOUCHY FEELY ABOUT IT, BUT THAT'S I THINK THAT'S A VERY REAL CONSIDERATION. AND SO WHEN YOU WHEN YOU LOOK AT THESE FAMILIES THAT WERE QUOTE THAT WERE MENTIONED IN THE WAVE IN W W D EVERY STORIES I THINK THEY FEEL OBVIOUSLY FINANCIALLY, UM, HOSED TO USE THAT WORD. BUT I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING DEEPER THERE THAT THEY FEEL THAT YOU KNOW, IT'S A SPECIAL FEELING TO ACQUIRE A PET RIGHT AND THE LAST THING THAT I THINK SOMEBODY WOULD WANT IS TO ACQUIRE A PEN. IT BECOMES SICK AND AT LEAST FOR ONE OF THE FAMILIES. ALMOST TO THE POINT OF THAT THEY WEREN'T SURE IT WAS GOING TO SURVIVE. BUT THEN TO BE LEFT WITH THE FINANCIAL IMPACT OF THAT, TOO. I THINK THAT'S WHAT DISTINGUISHES THIS. UM SO YOU KNOW, WE ARE AN ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION. AND I APPRECIATE YOU KNOW THAT THAT AS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, I CAN CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM ON THAT. AND [01:00:04] WE DON'T WANT TO CRIPPLE SMALL BUSINESS FOR THE RECORD. I DON'T KNOW. I HOPE THAT'S NOT THE INTENT OF THE ORDINANCE AT ALL. BUT I UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION. I MEAN, I KNOW YOU KEEP SAYING SMALL BUSINESS, BUT SOME PEOPLE HAVE LARGE BUSINESSES. AND WHEN YOU HAVE SOMEONE COMING IN TELLING YOU, UM. HOW TO REGULATE YOUR BUSINESS, AND YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE ONE. THAT'S KIND OF YOU KNOW? SURE THREE BUSINESSES AND IF SOMEBODY CAME IN AND TRIED TO TELL ME HOW TO RUN MY BUSINESSES OR WHAT PEOPLE DO IT ALL THE TIME, WHETHER IT'S SMALL, BIG, BUT ESPECIALLY THE SMALLER ONES, ESPECIALLY THE SMALLER ONES. UM. AND IT'S NOT A LOT OF PET STORES, SO I'M JUST TRYING TO INSTILL FANDOM A BALANCE, BUT I HEARD, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND. COUNCILWOMAN AND I HAVE RESPECT FOR TIME. I'LL KEEP THIS THIS BURRITO, BUT UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT. REMEMBER THAT THE PET STORE SIDE OF THIS IS JUST ONE HELMET. THERE'STILL THE SIDE HAVING TO DO WITH THE FLEA MARKETS, SETTING UP IN THE WALMART PARKING LOT THINGS OF THAT NATURE. I DON'T THINK THOSE CAN BE DEEMED BUSINESSES PER SE , BUT THEY DO HAVE A REAL IMPACT ON SOME OF THE OVERPOPULATION ISSUES. AND FRANKLY, THE ANIMAL WELFARE ISSUES THAT HAVE PLAGUED THE COMMUNITY SO I DON'T WANT TO GET TOO CAUGHT UP IN THE YOU KNOW, BUSINESS IMPACT SIDE OF THIS BECAUSE IT IS A MORE OVER. IT'S A BROADER ORDINANCE THAN THAT. BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT Y KNOW WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM. JOHN I'VE GOT ONE LAST QUESTION FOR Y. A IT'S SEGUE FROM WHAT YOU JUST TALKED ABOUT, UM IF OUR CONCERN IS PUBLIC LLS. ESSENTIALL PEOE THAT COD LIVI LIF ONI ANDTHE AMAL. T 'SLL ABOUT PROFITAND R, RIGHT? YES, SIR. IS IT THAT WE'RE ONLY LOOKING AT CATS AND DOGS? AND WHY AREN'T WE LOOKING AT BUNNY RABBITS? WHY ARE WE LOOKING AT PARENTS, YOU KNOW, GUINEA PIGS, YOU KNOW, ALL ANIMALS. I MEAN, I KNOW GROWING UP. I HAD GUINEA PIGS, AND I LOVED IT AS MUCH AS MY DOG. AND I CAN ALMOST GUARANTEED THAT IF THERE'S A PROFIT MARGIN WE MADE BY UNSCRUPULOUS BUSINESS PEOPLE RELATING TO CATS AND DOGS, THAT SAME GROUP OF UNSCRUPULOUS PEOPLE ARE MAKING A PROFIT OFF OTHER THINGS SUCH AS RABBITS AND GUINEA PIGS. AND YOU KNOW, HELEN , PROBABLY MAYBE CARROTS OR OTHER EXOTIC BIRDS. UM. THE FIRST THING I WOULD SAY IN RESPONSE TO THAT MR CHAIRMAN IS THAT I THINK AGAIN. THIS IS WHERE I'LL COME BACK TO THE QUESTION OF IMMEDIACY. YOU'VE HAD THE TWO STORIES IN THE MATTER OF A WEEK. THE FAMILIES THAT ARE DEALING SPECIFICALLY WITH THE SALE OF A DOG. UM SO I THINK. I UNDERSTAND. YOU KNOW THE QUESTION ABOUT WHY NOT OTHER PETS, BUT I THINK THIS IS WHERE IT'S IMPORTANT TO FOCUS ON WHAT IS THE MOST IMMEDIATE PROBLEM. AND THEN, FRANKLY, TO COUNCILWOMAN HAWKINS QUESTION. THERE ARE MORE THAN TWO. SURE, THERE ARE PLENTY MORE THAN TWO BUSINESSES THAT ENGAGE IN YOU KNOW, EXOTIC PETS SALES OR RABBITS OR GUINEA PIGS OR THINGS OF THAT NATURE. AND FRANKLY, THAT THAT COUNCILMAN HUDSON HAD ASKED ABOUT DATA. THAT'S JUST THE LARGELY A WILD WEST. AS FAR AS WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE NOT, THERE'S NOT NEARLY AS MUCH ROBUST DATA ON HOW MANY ARE OUT THERE? WHAT SORT OF IMPACT WOULD IT HAVE? IF YOU DID THIS? UH, SO YOU KNOW, I THINK IF COUNCIL IS CONSIDERING THE QUESTION OF WHAT CAN WE DO NOW THAT WOULD HAVE THE GREATEST IMPACT. THIS IS WHAT IT WOULD BE, UM AND YOU KNOW, MAYBE IN DOWN THE LINE. YOU REVISIT THE LARGER QUESTION. BUT BUT I THINK THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENT OF THIS. THAT'S BEFORE THIS BODY. I'D LIKE TO MOVE ON TO NEXT BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE 15 MINUTES LEFT. THAT'S OKAY. DO YOU WANT A QUICK QUESTION? GOOD QUESTION. SO YOU'RE NOT GOING OFF WITH THAT ARE CORRECT. WHAT ARE YOU GOING OUT FOR? OF JUST WHAT JUST HAPPENED. RESPECTFULLY COUNSELING. WE ARE GOING UP DATA . I MEAN TO COUNCILMAN OWENS QUESTION ABOUT. HOW DO WE KNOW THIS IS ACTUALLY WORKING? UM I WOULD REFER BACK TO THOSE NUMBERS THAT WE ARE SEEING A DECREASE OF BREEDING DOGS AND THESE PUPPY MILLS, SO THAT'S THAT'S THE IMPETUS FOR THIS. I MEAN, WE'RE CERTAINLY NOT JUST DOING IT FOR THE FEEL GOOD ASPECT IF THE INTENT IS TO TRY TO MAKE A DENT IN PUPPY MILL ABUSE. YOU NEED TO RELY ON DATA TO BACK THAT UP AND WE ARE [01:05:01] RELYING ON DATA. SO YOU DO HAVE THE DATA. YES MA'AM, AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO SHARE. YOU KNOW ANY OF THAT WITH THE COMMITTEE AFTERWARDS, AND COUNCILMAN I'M HAPPY TO MEET WITH YOU MORE AFTERWARDS AND THAT GOES FOR ANY OF YOU ALL BUT OUT OF RESPECT FOR THE OTHER SPEAKERS TIME. CHAIRMAN. MOST ARE OTHER QUESTION INPUT FORGIVENESS. I WOULD LIKE TO CALL MICHELLE LAWSON. LOSS OF YOU IDENTIFY YOURSELF FOR THE RECORD FROM THERE. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR, MADAM. CAMERAS, SO I DON'T TALK TOO LONG. HELLO I'M MICHELLE LAWSON. I'M THE FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OF KENTUCKY ANIMAL ACTION WE MAKE WE WORK TO MAKE KENTUCKY A BETTER PLACE FOR ANIMALS AND ALL INHABITANTS. WHERE A STATE ORGANIZATION WITH NO AFFILIATION TO ANY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, OR, UM, NATIONAL OR OTHERWISE, WE DID THE HOT CAR AND EXTREME WEATHER ORDINANCE IN 2021. THAT WAS OUR ORDINANCE THAT PAST THAT IS NOW IN PLACE FOR JEFFERSON COUNTY. UM A LOT OF THE NUMBERS THAT I HAVE. I'VE PICKED ALL MY NUMBERS FROM VERY RELIABLE SOURCES AND ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS OVER HERE. ASKED ABOUT SOURCES, UM, PRETEND TO PUPPY MILLS. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND LOOKING AT HARLEY'S DREAM .ORG. HARLEY IS A CHIHUAHUA THAT WAS RESCUED FROM A PUPPY MILL. HE ONLY HAD ONE EYE BECAUSE THE RUNNER, THE PERSON WHO RAN THE PUPPY MILL WAS POWER, WASHING HARLEY'S RUN AND HIT HIM IN THE FACE, AND HE LOST AN EYE BECAUSE OF IT. HE WENT TO THE NATIONAL MALE DOG RESCUE LATER. UM AND HE IS A NATIONAL MILL DOG. UNFORTUNATELY HARLEY PASSED AWAY A COUPLE YEARS AGO. BUT UM, SO HARLEY'S DREAM DOT ORG IS A GREAT PLACE TO FIND PUPPY MILL STATISTICS. AS WELL AS IN MDR DOT ORG, WHICH IS NATIONAL MILL DOG RESCUE DOT ORG. THOSE TWO PLACES WILL GIVE YOU FANTASTIC STATISTICS. UM ALONG WITH AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION TO CRUELTY TO ANIMALS , AMERICAN VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION DOG BY DOG, THE PUPPY MILL PROJECT AND THE INTERNATIONAL FUND FOR ANIMAL WELFARE. HMM. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS ORDINANCE WILL BE, UH, THE PENALTIES SECTION WILL BE CHANGED TO BE INCLUSIVE TWO CITATIONS AND ELIMINATE A LOOPHOLE. FIRST CITATIONS JUST PERTAINING TO PERSONS WHO VIOLATE IT. I'M TOTALLY BE CHANGED IN THE NEXT FOR BY THE NEXT MEETING CHANGES BY SUBSTITUTION. I'M TESTIFYING UNDER THE ASSUMPTION OF THAT CHANGE. HMM. THIS ORDINANCE IS SOMETHING THAT ANIMAL ADVOCATES HAVE WANTED FOR QUITE SOME TIME. UM THE MOMENT THAT EVERYONE HEARD AND IN MY CIRCLES THAT PUPPY GRAHAM WAS COMING TO TOWN. OUR STOMACHS JUST DROPPED. BUT WITH ALL THE PROBLEMS THAT FACE KENTUCKY ANIMALS, OUR ORGANIZATION HAD SOME OTHER ISSUES ON OUR PLATE THAT FACE ANIMALS. AND WE WE'VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO TACKLE THIS ISSUE. BUT THAT DOESN'T MAKE THIS IS YOU ANY LESS IMPORTANT? IN FACT, OVERPOPULATION IS AT THE CORE OF PROBLEMS THAT ANIMALS FACE IN OUR CITIES STATE AND ACROSS THE WORLD. IF THIS ORDINANCE PASSES , IT WILL HELP ADDRESS OVERPOPULATION AND DECREASE THE NUMBERS OF UNWANTED EUTHANIZED, ABUSED, NEGLECTED AND SUFFERING ANIMALS. REDUCING OVERPOPULATION WILL HELP IN MANY ASPECTS OF ANIMAL WELFARE, INCLUDING THE ADVOCATES AND OFFICIALS WHO ARE TRYING TO HELP THEM. ALL STATISTICS AND NUMBERS THAT I'M ABOUT TO SHARE WITH YOU MOSTLY ORIGINATE BEFORE THE PANDEMIC. THROUGH MUCH OF THE PANDEMIC THAT'S WERE ONLY ABLE TO PERFORM VACCINES AND EMERGENCY TREATMENT AND PROCEDURES. THIS MEANS OUR CITY AND MOST OF THE WORLD WAS OUT WAS WITHOUT SPARE NEUTER FOR APPROXIMATELY 18 MONTHS, WHICH WE KNOW IS SPAIN NEUTERS SUPER IMPORTANT. AMONG OTHER HORRIBLE OUTCOMES OF THE PANDEMIC. IT ALSO CAUSED WORSE PROBLEMS FOR ANIMALS BECAUSE THERE WAS NO SPENT SPAIN NEUTER FOR A YEAR AND A HALF. ANIMAL ADVOCATES AND RESCUE COMMUNITIES AROUND THE WORLD ARE BADLY BOTTLENECKED WITH THE NUMBER OF THOSE IN NEED AND SEEING SITUATIONS WORSE THAN MOST ADVOCATES HAVE SEEN IN THEIR LIFETIME. I'VE HEARD MANY TIMES THIS YEAR. THIS IS THE WORST PUPPY SEASON I'VE EVER EXPERIENCED PUPPY SEASON IS USUALLY IN EARLY SUMMER. THAT'S WHEN MOST LITTERS ARE BORN. RESCUES ARE STRETCHED THINNER THAN THEY'VE EVER IMAGINED. AND MOST ARE HAVING TO SAY NO MORE THAN THEY'VE EVER HAD TO SHELTERS WHO HAVE BEEN NO KILL FOR MORE THAN A DECADE OR MORE OR HAVING TO EUTHANIZE PERFECTLY HEALTHY DOGS AND CATS AGAIN. PEOPLE WHO CARE VERY DEEPLY IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR ANIMALS ARE [01:10:03] HAVING TO PUT PERFECTLY HAPPY, HEALTHY AND UNWANTED PETS TO DEATH EVERY DAY. THIS IS SOMETHING THEY HAVE TO FACE THAT THEIR JOB. MY PERSONAL OPINION IS THAT THE PANDEMIC HAS SET US BACK APPROXIMATELY TWO DECADES IN ANIMAL WELFARE AND RESCUE, INCLUDING OVERPOPULATION. THERE COULDN'T BE A MORE TERRIBLE TIME FOR PUPPY MILLS AND RETAIL PUPPY STORES TO BE RUNNING AMOK WITH IRRESPONSIBLE AND THEN HUMANE BREEDING PRACTICES. EXPONENTIALLY PUMPING OUT MORE AND MORE PUPPIES TREATING THE PROCESS LIKE AN ASSEMBLY LINE OF INANIMATE OBJECTS. THERE'S APPROXIMATELY 10,000 PUPPY MILLS NATIONWIDE, PRODUCING APPROXIMATELY 2.6 MILLION PUPPIES ANNUALLY, AND THAT'S JUST IN THE UNITED STATES. APPROXIMATELY 6.3 MILLION COMPANION ANIMALS ENTER US SHELTERS NATIONWIDE EVERY YEAR. ON ANY GIVEN DAY IN THE UNITED STATES, THERE'S APPROXIMATELY 70 MILLION HOMELESS DOGS AND CATS WHO ARE STRUGGLING TO SURVIVE. PUPPY MILLS ARE THE LEADING CAUSE OF THE OVERPOPULATION CRISIS. BETWEEN 14,000 ANIMALS ARE EUTHANIZED IN SHELTERS EVERY SINGLE DAY. THAT'S AROUND 1.4 TO 3.6 MILLION DOGS EUTHANIZED ANNUALLY. 3.6 MILLION DOGS EUTHANIZED ANNUALLY THAT ARE PERFECTLY ADOPTABLE. PUPPY MILLS DIDN'T EXIST. THERE WOULD BE 75% FEWER DOGS AND SHELTERS AND IN RESCUES. TO REITERATE. 6.3 MILLION COMPANION ANIMALS ENTER US SHELTERS ANNUALLY. 75% OF DOGS AND SHELTERS AND RESCUES COME FROM PUPPY MILLS, AND THAT IS A STATISTIC THAT IS AGREED UPON BY MANY VERY RENOWNED ORGANIZATIONS. APPROXIMATELY 25% OF ANIMALS ARE CONFIRMED, EUTHANIZED WITH NINE OUT OF NINE OUT OF 10 OF THOSE EUTHANASIA IS CONSIDERED ADOPTABLE. SO WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE JUST DUMPING SICK OR INJURED DOGS OR BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PERFECTLY ADOPTABLE PETS. JUST A FEW THINGS THAT DOGS PUPPIES. AND UH, PREGNANT MOTHERS DEAL WITH AND PUPPY MILLS. MALNOURISHMENT ABUSE, NEGLECT. NO BETTER CARE, LIFETIME CAGE CONFINEMENT. NO CLIMATE CONTROL PUPPIES TAKEN TOO SOON FROM THEIR MOTHER. FORCED TO STAND ON WIRE AND LIVE IN WASTE, AND ALSO THE EPICENTERS FOR DISEASE, WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM. BASED ON WHAT WE'VE JUST GONE THROUGH WITH THE PANDEMIC. WE KNOW HOW LARGE NUMBERS OF ANIMALS IN SMALL AREAS CAN DEFINITELY CAUSE DISEASE PROBLEMS. RETAIL PUPPY STORES AND COURAGE, IMPULSE BUYING, AND IT'S PROVEN THAT IMPULSE PURCHASES LEAD TO DOGS ENDING UP IN SHELTERS. AND TALKING ABOUT BUSINESSES LIKE THIS OPINION, OUR COMMUNITY. THESE BUSINESSES OFTEN ALSO HAVE PREDATORY LENDING. AND I'M PRETTY SURE PUPPY GRAHAM ALSO, UM DOES THAT AND YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE FINANCING THE PURCHASE OF A PUPPY. THEY'RE PAYING PAYMENTS ON A PUPPY. AS FAR AS IMPACT STATEMENTS GO. UM, THIS IS AN IMPACT STATEMENT IN THE OTHER DIRECTION. CURRENTLY MORE THAN $1 BILLION ARE SPENT ANNUALLY COLLECTING, DESTROYING AND DISPOSING OF UNWANTED DOGS AND SHELTERS. CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT WE COULD DO WITH THAT MONEY? PUPPY MILLS ARE INHUMANE AND SUPPORTING THEM BY ALLOWING A RETAIL PET STORE IS A BLACK EYE ON OUR COMMUNITY AND AN ONGOING AN ONGOING POISON TO OUR SOCIETY. JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE CUTE DOESN'T MEAN THEY CAME FROM SOMEWHERE HAPPY. WE NEED TO HELP ENCOURAGE HEALTHIER AND MORE HUMANE COMMUNITY, BYPASSING THIS ORDINANCE AND STOPPING RETAIL PUPPY MILLS STORES IN OUR CITY. HAVING A RETAIL PUPPY MILL STORE HERE DOES NOT REFLECT HOW MOST OF OUR RESIDENTS FEEL ABOUT ANIMALS. MOST JUST DON'T REALIZE WHAT THEY'RE SUPPORTING. REMOVING RETAIL PUPPY STORES WILL SERVE AS AN EDUCATION TOOL ON THE FACT THAT WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS WRONG. UM BASED ON WHAT ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ASKED EARLIER. IS THIS ORDINANCE THE RIGHT WAY TO GO, YOU KNOW, GOING AFTER THE BUSINESS INSTEAD OF THE ACTUAL PUPPY MILL? WELL I CAN SPEAK TO SUPPLY AND DEMAND. UM IF WE LEAVE THAT STORE OPEN, THE PUPPY MILL HAS A REASON TO STAY OPEN BECAUSE THEY ARE CONSTANTLY TURNING OVER PUPPIES . AND ALSO WHILE WE DO HAVE PUPPY MILLS HERE IN KENTUCKY, SOME PUPPY UH, RETAIL STORES IMPORT FROM OTHER STATES AND THAT WOULD BE DIFFICULT FOR US TO TACKLE PUPPY MILLS AND OTHER STATES AT OUR RETAIL PUPPY STORES. UM SO WITH THAT SAID [01:15:06] PLENTY OF STORES. PET STORES ARE SUCCESSFUL, UM, SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES OPERATING IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT DO NOT WORK WITH PUPPY MILLS. WE HAVE FEEDER SUPPLY. WE HAVE PETSMART AND SEVERAL OTHERS WHO ARE PERFECTLY SUCCESSFUL PET STORES AND DO NOT COMMUNICATE OR WORK WITH PUPPY MILLS. UM KENTUCKY ANIMAL ACTION SUPPORTS THIS ORDINANCE AND STEWART, COUNCILMAN STUART BENSON AND ANGELA WEBSTER'S EFFORTS TO PURSUE THIS. UM, WE REALLY NEED TO PASS THIS NOT JUST TO STOP PUPPY GRAHAM FROM WORKING WITH PUPPY MILLS, BUT ALSO BEFORE OTHER PET STORES LIKE PUPPY GRAHAM, MOVE IN. IF WE HAVE NO REGULATION ON THIS, THERE'S NO LIMIT TO HOW MANY STORES WILL START POPPING UP ALL AROUND LOUISVILLE. I HOPE YOU WILL NOT ONLY SUPPORT THIS ORDINANCE BUT ALSO SUPPORTS L M A S AND L M P D, UM HELPING THEM ENFORCE IT. ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE SPEAKER? I GOT ONE. GO AHEAD, COUNSELOR. THANK YOU, UM. WELL I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION. I APPRECIATE ABOUT ALL THE PRESENTATIONS AND I WAS JUST ALL WONDERING THAT A LOT OF THE, UH YOU KNOW, I'M NOT THE SMARTEST GUY ON THIS TOPIC AND ALL. I BOUGHT MY DOG FROM A RESCUE AND MY NEXT ONE WILL BE ALSO FROM THE RESCUE, AND I KNOW THAT WHEN I GOT THEM FROM THE RESCUES, THEY DID, YOU KNOW, UP AND DOWN, UH, VETERINARIAN ANALYSIS REPORTS ON GOOD BILL OF HEALTH AND ALL OF THAT PUT UP FOR FOUR MONTHS, AND I KNOW THAT A LOT OF PROBLEMS I WAS HEARING FROM THE EARLIER SPEAKER WAS THAT PEOPLE GET PETS AND FROM HIS MEAL HOMEMADE FROM THE COMPANY TO GET THEM FROM MEALS AND PENCIL COMING HOME, SICK AND DYING, AND I THINK THAT'S CRAZY. WE DON'T HAVE LIKE A LEMON, LAWFUL PETS, BUT, UM I WAS JUST WONDERING WHAT ARE THERE? I DON'T EVEN KNOW. ARE THERE ANY, UH HELP PRECAUTIONS THAT HAVE TO BE MET. FROM SELLING THESE PETS AND IN ME, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE, LIKE, LIKE I SAID, MY DOG RESCUE WAS A GREAT BILL OF HEALTH, YOU KNOW FROM THE VETERINARIAN DO OTHER PLACES HAVE TO HAVE, UH, VETERINARIAN, UH, BUILD HEALTH GIVEN TO PEOPLE WHO THEY SELL IT TO IS THAT A REQUIREMENT IN THE BUSINESS? NOT A REQUIREMENT LIKE THAT. BE A NO, NO, MAYBE, UH, ALSO A MANAGEABLE FIX. WELL, FIRST, I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ADOPTING YOUR DOG, YOUR FAMILY MEMBER AND FOR AGREEING TO ADOPT IN THE FUTURE, UM THAT'S A THAT'S A HUGE STEP IN THE COMMUNITY. WHEN SOMEONE IN YOUR POSITION SAYS THAT THAT'S WHAT THEY DO. AND AS SOMEONE WHO , UM, WORKS AND RESCUE MYSELF. I HEAR ALL THE TIME. YOU KNOW THEY RUN YOU THROUGH THE ADOPTION PROCESS AND ASKING ALL THESE QUESTIONS AND THEY WANT TO DO THIS AND THEY WANT TO DO THAT. WELL THE REASON FOR THAT IS TO MAKE THE MAKE SURE THAT THE DOG IS GOING TO A SAFE ENVIRONMENT AND A HAPPY HOME AND GOING TO BE TREATED PROPERLY. AND LIKE YOU SAID, THEY COME WITH FULLY VETTED AND HEALTHY AND THE RESCUE BACKS WHAT THEY DO. AS FAR AS I KNOW, UM I WILL LET UM ASHLEY BOOKS SPEAK TO, UM, THE REQUIREMENTS ON WHAT PET STORES ARE REQUIRED AND HOW THEY ENFORCE THAT. THAT'S A QUESTION I'LL HAVE HER SPEAK TO WHEN SHE COMES UP, BUT I WILL SAY THAT YOU KNOW, THOSE KIND OF THINGS ARE DIFFICULT TO ENFORCE. AND IN MY OPINION, IF WE COULD JUST STOP THE CHURNING OF IT, IT WOULD ELIMINATE A LOT OF THE NEED FOR, UM HEALTH CHECKS IF WE CAN HAVE, YOU KNOW, SHUT DOWN THE PUPPY MILL SITUATION. QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS. HER NAME FOLKS WERE RUNNING OUT OF TIME. FOR THE SPIRIT OF SPEAKERS THAT WE'RE HERE. APOLOGIZE. IT IS WHAT IT IS, BUT WE'VE ALL OPERATING A SCHEDULE. ANGELA I WOULD INVITE YOU AND COUNSELOR BENSON TO BRING BACK THE FOLKS THAT DIDN'T GET TO TALK IN TWO WEEKS. WELL FURTHER BE DISCUSSING THIS SO WITHOUT ANY OBJECTION, WE'RE GONNA STAND [Adjournment Note: Agendas are followed at the discretion of the Chair. While an item may be listed, it does not mean all items will be heard and/or acted upon by the Committee.] ADJOURNED. NO. YEAH, LET'S DO A MOTION TABLE. THIS. BEFORE US, UH, TAKE A VOICE VOTE ALL THE FAVORITE FOR TABLE IN THIS SAY I ALRIGHT. OPPOSITION OPPOSITION IS AT HIS TABLED. WE NOW STAND ADJOURNED. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR INPUT. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.