Georgia House Bill 331, effective July 1, makes it illegal to sell dogs, cats, or rabbits in public spaces. Georgia shelters are currently overcrowded due to overpopulation. Watch the video to see Valdosta rescuers react to the bill.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
A bill signed into law by the Georgia governor bans roadside pet sales. And here in Valdosta, local rescuers are calling it a long-overdue winfor both animals and the people who love them.
Georgia House Bill 331 takes effect July 1. It makes the sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits in public spaces illegal. That includes places like parks, flea markets, and parking lotslongtime hot spots for inhumane breeding practices.
Laura Donahue with Best Friends Animal Society says it’s a crucial step in breaking the cycle.
“Puppy mills frequently sell on roadsides and parking lots to prevent the public from seeing the oftentimes cruel and dire conditions these pets are bred in.”
Locally, it could be a game-changer. Tara Parker, a longtime Valdosta rescuer, has seen the damage firsthandand while she says the bill is just a start, it’s the right one.
“And it is going to ban the public sales of dogs, cats and rabbits. And so it is a first tiny step in what we need to do to stop Georgia’s overpopulation.”
But Parker says enforcement alone isn’t enough. Backyard breeders are still operatingoften onlineand she wants Georgia to catch up to states with stronger protections.
“So we’d really like for us to focus on the health and well-being and just basic common-sense things that other states do have tackled this problem.”
For Parker, it’s more than policyit’s a personal calling.
“I care about humans, but there’s a unique quality about the innocence of animals in need, and so I’ve just been drawn to that.”
With House Bill 331 becoming law, advocates hope it paves the way for more humane legislationand a kinder Georgia. I’m Malia Thomas, reporting for ABC27.
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