L.A. County Passes Ordinance Protecting Dogs

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors passed an ordinance on Tuesday that will provide better protection for dogs raised by breeders and for sale in pet stores.

The new rules mainly pertain to breeders, who will be required to:

Wait until dogs are at least 12 months old before breeding them.

Keep puppies on their premises until they are at least 8 weeks old.

Separate pregnant females at least three days before they give birth.

Provide nesting boxes for the moms and their puppies.

Pet stores will be required to disclose where the animals they are selling came from.

The ordinance also includes new rules affecting Los Angeles County pet parents. All puppies will have to be microchipped or tattooed by the time they are 4 months old. Dogs will not be allowed to be tied to fences or trees for long periods of time, and choke collars cannot be used to tie dogs to running lines.

Marcia Mayeda, head of L.A. County Animal Care and Control, told DailyNews.com she was pleased with the ordinance. ”We feel that there are a lot of additional protections in place,” she said.

The ordinance limits most breeders to housing no more than 50 unspayed or unneutered dogs that are more than a year old in one location.

County Counsel Andrea Ordin told DailyNews.com that attorneys looked at similar ordinances across the country, including Missouri’s Prop B, and were “concerned about the legality of putting a limit on the number of animals.”

For that reason, some breeders may be allowed to keep more animals if they show they can properly care for them. Those breeders will be held to higher medical recordkeeping standards, will be required to staff their facilities for 18 hours each day, and will be inspected more frequently.

“We will be out there regularly to check,” Mayeda said.

The ordinance was sponsored by Supervisor Michael Antonovich, an animal lover who regularly brings pets available for adoption to board meetings. It will go into effect next month.

PHOTO: Crissa Tenorio

Amelia LeRutte

Amelia Lerutte is a public relations and social media expert, and a pack leader to a couple derpy Boston Terriers, a lovable Leonburger and a Keeshound. When not writing or promoting the i Love Dogs brand, Amelia is an avid NHL fan, ice hockey player and video gamer.