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Council to vote on pet store legislation Tuesday

A local controversy began in October when the Family Puppy store opened at Franklin Park Mall. Toledo City Council members are hoping to put that controversy to rest on Tuesday.

TOLEDO, OH (Toledo News Now) - A local controversy began in October when the Family Puppy store opened at Franklin Park Mall. Toledo City Council members are hoping to put that controversy to rest.

People who protested outside the mall when the store opened claim the animals being sold are coming from so-called puppy mills, and that prompted Councilman Rob Ludeman and Council President Paula Hicks-Hudson to craft legislation aimed at closing the store.

Ludeman says a new compromise measure has been formed, however, which would allow the store to stay open, provided it documents that the animals being sold are obtained from USDA-approved breeders, and that those animals are spayed or neutered.

"What we're trying to do is promote spaying and neutering, so the cost of a new dog would be higher if they were not spayed or neutered by the time they left the store," Ludeman said. "And [we're] talking about making sure they're no less than eight weeks old when they're sold out of the store."

The compromise legislation also states any store opening after January 1 would only be allowed to sell dogs or cats obtained from a legitimate shelter or animal control agency, humane society or rescue group. That measure was approved at council's Tuesday meeting.

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