About four months ago, Louisville Metro Council banned the retail sale of dogs and cats in Jefferson County — to the delight of animal activists and the dismay of some business owners.
The measure — championed on the council by Republican Stuart Benson and Democrat Andrew Owen — was aimed at combatting puppy and kitten mills.
City councils in Elizabethtown and Radcliff passed similar laws in the last several years.
Now, those ordinances may become moot.
A bill filed by state Sen. Jason Howell, R-Murray, would allow retail pet sales to sell cats and dogs as long as they come from a “qualified breeder.”
Senate Bill 157 defines “qualified breeder” as “a large-scale breeding kennel that has no direct violations indicated by United States Department of Agriculture inspection reports in the last two (2) years or a hobby breeder.”
Petland was in the process of establishing a store in Louisville when Metro Council banned retail sales of dogs and cats, and Jason Underwood, a lobbyist for the pet store chain, said he went to Howell with the idea for the legislation. The company has brought similarly worded legislation to other states, he said.