Amending Title 10 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Regulation of Individual Conduct and Activity," by adding a new Section to impose a temporary moratorium on the breeding and transfer of puppies, all under certain terms and conditions.

Amending Title 10 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “Regulation of Individual Conduct and Activity,” by adding a new Section to impose a temporary moratorium on the breeding and transfer of puppies, all under certain terms and conditions. WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia has experienced a documented increase in stray and abandoned dogs, creating threats to public health and safety, including dog bites, traffic accidents, and the spread of communicable diseases; and WHEREAS, ACCT Philly, funded primarily with public resources, has for extended periods operated at or above capacity, leading to overcrowding, disease risk, and heightened fiscal burdens on taxpayers; and WHEREAS, Intake data from ACCT Philly demonstrates that indiscriminate or unregulated breeding is a primary driver of shelter crowding and dog relinquishment, compounding the strain on the City’s ability to provide humane care; and WHEREAS, The unregulated sale of puppies also presents consumer protection and public health risks, including the misrepresentation of animal health, spread of contagious diseases among community and shelter animals and the possible spread of zoonotic diseases to humans; and WHEREAS, Enforcement of existing animal control laws has proven insufficient to stem the rapid increase in intake, and immediate action is required to stabilize the situation; and WHEREAS, A temporary moratorium on dog breeding is a targeted measure intended to address this emergency condition while Council consid…