ROCK ISLAND, Illinois — An ordinance passed in Rock Island bans the sale of dogs and cats within the city.
This comes months after citizens expressed concern about inhumane treatment for animals in breeding mills, according to a memorandum from the city.
“Animals in these facilities are often kept in enclosures that are too small, denied adequate medical care, and bred excessively causing physical injury,” read the memorandum. “These “mill” operations are inhumane.”
An update to the city’s regulations on owning dogs and cats has been updated as of December 6, 2019. These updates include: a change from licensing animals within the city to instead licensing them within the county; a ban on the sale of cats and dogs within Rock Island, requiring instead that pets for sale are in need of adoption from animal care or rescue facilities; and changes business licensing requirements.
The changes in this ordinance were approved by Rock Island’s city manager Randall Tweet.
