(PRESS RELEASE) Genesee County Passes Resolution Opposing HB5917/5916 - Pro Puppy Mill Bills

For Immediate Release

May 21, 2018

Genesee and Macomb County Commissions pass resolutions opposing legislation that preempts local control of animal welfare and consumer protection ordinances

The Genesee County Commission has just voted in favor of a resolution opposing HB 5916/5917, two bills in the Michigan legislature that would protect cruel puppy mills and their pet store sales outlets. Last week, the Macomb County Commission passed a similar Resolution No. R18-1569, resolving that “…the Macomb County Board of Commissioners opposes House Bills 5916/5917 and wishes to allow the local communities to enact their own guidelines for pet shop sales, making it easier to prevent sales from commercial breeding facilities that are not properly caring for animals…”

Genesee County is home to the Flint outlet of the pet store chain The Family Puppy, which has joined with pet industry lobbyists to push the highly controversial bills through the legislature. Three Macomb County localities, Eastpointe, Fraser, and New Baltimore, have passed ordinances in recent years that prohibit the sale of puppy mill puppies.

“Genesee County officials are proud to speak out against this ill-advised and dangerous legislation, which would prevent local officials from making decisions to protect animal welfare and consumers in their jurisdiction,” said Drew Shapiro, a member of the Genesee County Commission. “Michigan legislators should reject HB 5916/5917 and trust local governments to make the right decisions to protect the citizens of their counties.”

HB 5916/5917, referred to as “the Petland bills” after the Petland store chain—the legislation’s primary backer—would allow pet stores in Michigan to continue sourcing from large-scale, inhumane commercial breeding facilities and to continue to sell sick puppies to the public, while at the time stripping cities, towns, and counties in the state of the authority to address this issue. The bills have passed the House Agriculture Committee and now await a vote on the House floor, which could happen as early as Tuesday, May 22.

HB 5916/5917 are an attack on local control and animal welfare, and are being met with strong opposition from the pet-loving population of Michigan. Organizations that have testified in opposition to HB 5916/5917 include:

1. Michigan Municipal League 
2. Michigan Humane Society (Bingham Farms, MI)
3. Puppy Mill Awareness of Southeast Michigan (Northville, MI)
4. Michigan Friends of Companion Animals Coalition
5. Capital Area Humane Society (Lansing, MI)
6. Animal Placement Bureau (Lansing, MI)
7. Pound Buddies Animal Shelter and Adoption Center (Muskegon, MI)
8. Humane Society of West Michigan (Grand Rapids, MI)
9. Humane Society of Huron Valley (Ann Arbor, MI)
10. Kalamazoo County Humane Society (Kalamazoo, MI)
11. Harbor Humane Society (West Olive, MI)
12. Great Lakes Humane Society
13. Attorneys for Animals (Canton, MI)
14. Michigan Pet Fund Alliance (Bloomfield Hills, MI)
15. Michigan Political Action Committee for Animals
16. Carol’s Ferals (Grand Rapids, MI)
17. The Humane Society of the United States – MI
18. ASPCA
19. Best Friends Animal Society (Utah)
20. Animal Welfare Institute
21. Great Lakes Rabbit Sanctuary (Willis, MI)
22. Waggin' Tail Dog Rescue (Northville, MI)
23. Bark Nation (Wixom, MI)
24. Dog Aide (White Lake, MI)
25. Voiceless-MI 
26. Hayes and Friends (Mt. Clemens, MI)
27. Akshay Verma, DVM
28. Harley’s Dream
29. Harley’s Heroes of West Michigan
30. Happy Hearts Feline Rescue
31. Barry County Humane Society (Hastings, MI) 
32. Friends for Animals of Metro Detroit (Dearborn, MI)
33. Midwest Rabbit Rescue & Re-Home (Canton, MI)
34. Macomb County Animal Control
35. All About Animals (Warren, Auburn Hills, Flint, MI)
36. Kalamazoo Humane Society (Kalamzaoo, MI)

Media contacts:

Pam Sordyl, Founder of Michigan Friends of Companion Animals and Puppy Mill Awareness of SE Michigan 734-718-7100

Drew Shapiro, Genesee County Commissioner District 6 810-730-9285

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