Is Ft. Collins Becoming Anti-Business? TAKE ACTION!
The proposed Ft. Collins Ordinance to ban the sale of puppies in local pet stores is a biased piece of legislation that is not only misguided but also dangerously lacks credible data and verifiable statistics to support its claims. Colorado citizens should be deeply concerned that the Ft. Collins Mayor and City Council Members are considering turning subjective opinions into law, unfairly targeting legal, licensed business owners and restricting consumer access to purpose-bred, health-tested pets.
This legislation is not just a simple "pet sale ban;" it is a coercive mandate that forces pet stores to comply with the demands of animal rights organizations. These organizations insist that pet stores source their animals from unregulated, unlicensed, and uninspected rescues and shelters, stripping away the consumer’s right to choose where they obtain their pets.
This anti-business ordinance prioritizes an unregulated supply chain over established, legal sources, which could lead to significant public health risks.
The proponents of this ban ordinance rely on the animal rights fringe group, Humane Society of the U.S. (HSUS) and their annual fundraiser, Horrible Hundred, they use to falsely white-wash pet producers with falsities, exaggerations and outright lies. While HSUS paints a frightening, emotional picture, the truth is that while animal activist organizations such as theirs may claim to care about animals, it does not mean they know anything about animal care and husbandry nor do they use any of the $100+ million that they raise annually to benefit animals in need.
One of the most troubling aspects of this legislation is its potential to increase the importation of dogs from foreign countries without proper screening for parasites and diseases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that approximately 1 million dogs were imported for resale by 501-C3 "Non-Profit" shelter and rescue operations in 2019 alone.
These animals often enter the U.S. with fraudulent veterinary documents and are frequently younger than the law permits. The consequences are severe, with imported dogs bringing in diseases such as brucellosis, rabies, screw worm, various Asiatic tick species, distemper, and multiple strains of influenza viruses.
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has expressed serious concerns about the foreign importation of dogs into rescue shelters, highlighting the risk these imports pose not only to public health but also to industries like pork and other meat production.
The Ft. Collins Ordinance, by mandating the sale of animals from these unregulated sources, directly endangers the health and safety of Colorado citizens.
This anti-business ordinance advances the animal rights agenda to create a monopoly on pet sales, favoring state-sponsored shelter and rescue pets over those bred by responsible, private-sector breeders. This is not a measure to protect consumers or animals—there are already sufficient laws and regulations in place for both. Instead, this ordinance is a direct attack on small businesses, aiming to eliminate competition and establish a monopoly for shelters and rescues within the state.
Please take a moment to send EACH MEMBER OF THE Ft. Collins CITY COUNCIL an email to OPPOSE this proposed ORDINANCE.
**Please make modifications to the boiler plate letter provided to make it your own!
~ Thank you! The Cavalry Group Team