Beginning next March, Chicago pet stores won't be able to sell dogs, cats, or rabbits obtained from large-scale breeding operations that critics call ‘Puppy Mills.’

These Houses of Horror sell animals to pet stores with little regard for how they are treated, keeping them in small filthy cages their entire lives, and breeding them over and over again until they are “used up” and then callously disposed of.

All animals sold in the city will now have to come from government pounds, pet rescue operations, or humane societies.

This is a big step forward for the countless animals suffering in commercial mills and backyard breeding operations today. Not only will this restrict the flow of animals coming into Chicago from puppy mills and backyard breeders, it will also help relieve the burden on local shelters by providing more opportunities for rescued animals to find new homes.

National and local animal welfare advocates have supported this legislation for a long time, and this ordinance reflects a growing national concern over how America's pets are bred and treated and follows similar actions in other cities.

"This ordinance prevents, hopefully … these terrible practices of having these animals being abused day after day in small cages," said one of Chicago’s Aldermen.

Critics say pet stores, which generally sell only puppies and kittens, and the breeders that supply them, add needlessly to the massive pet overpopulation problem in this country today, while countless animals are languishing in shelters. At shelters, far too many abandoned animals are being put down.

A Humane Society official said in a statement that the new city ordinance represents "a step forward for the humane economy" that "will help end the euthanasia of thousands of dogs and cats every year in Chicago."

The new restrictions are similar to measures already on the books in cities that include Los Angeles, San Diego, and Phoenix.

Dr. Robyn Barbiers, a veterinarian and president of the Anti-Cruelty Society, which operates a large Near North Side shelter, said Wednesday's decision was "a good thing" but cautioned that "it doesn't address all of the issues."

Barbiers, whose organization already partners with area PetSmart locations for in-store pet adoptions, said she would be open to working with some of the stores affected by the new rules. She said a broader education effort is needed to explain to prospective pet owners why a 2-year-old mixed-breed from a shelter might be a better choice than a custom-bred puppy.

The measure adopted Wednesday was pushed by City Clerk Susana Mendoza:
"It's one step toward solving an important issue that faces our society," she said. "It cuts off a pipeline of the animals coming from the horrendous puppy mill industry, and instead moves us toward a retail pet sales model that focuses on adopting out the many, many homeless animals in need of loving new homes in this city."

Violators of the new ordinance, which goes into effect next March, could be fined up to $1,000 a day or, in the case of repeat offenses, charged with a misdemeanor.