This letter by Camden County Commissioner Jeffrey Nash advocates for the swift passage of New Jersey’s bills S.2511 and A.4051, which aim to prohibit the sale of puppy mill puppies in pet stores.
Nash highlights his personal experience leading the effort to stop such sales in Camden County in 2015, emphasizing the cruelty and consumer deception associated with puppy mills.
He underscores the strong bipartisan and broad-based support for the legislation, which is backed by numerous pet businesses, shelters, rescues, and consumer protection groups.
Nash argues that the few remaining stores in New Jersey that sell puppies are outliers in the pet retail industry, which largely thrives without relying on puppy sales.
He points to the success of businesses that follow the model proposed in the bill offering pet products, services like grooming, and partnering with shelters for adoption events.
This model, Nash asserts, is both profitable and aligned with growing consumer demand for humane practices.
He also references the success of similar policies across the country, with eight states and 145 municipalities in New Jersey enacting bans on puppy sales in pet stores.
Nash urges the New Jersey Legislature to act quickly, citing the suffering of animals in puppy mills and the frequent deception of consumers who purchase sick or genetically compromised puppies.
Nash’s plea is driven by a combination of compassion for animals and concern for New Jersey families, pushing for the adoption of a humane, responsible, and economically viable approach to pet acquisition.