ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Anyone looking to buy a guinea pig for their home will have to travel outside the city to get one.
Allentown City Council voted last week to ban the sale of guinea pigs by pet stores in the city, extending a ban that’s been in place for years on the sale of dogs, cats and rabbits.
That ban does not prohibit stores from offering dogs, cats and rabbits for adoption through an animal shelter or rescue organization.
“Guinea pigs, like all animals, deserve to be treated with care and respect. By adding them as protected species, you’re taking a stand against the commercial exploitation of these gentle creatures.”Sheryl Petrillo, president of Animal Defenders Greater Lehigh Valley
Pet stores can no longer sell “any Cavia porcellus rodent,” according to the ordinance passed by council.
But no Allentown pet stores were selling guinea pigs before the ban, according to Sheryl Petrillo, president of Animal Defenders Greater Lehigh Valley.
She told council members the “pre-emptive” measure “reflects a commitment to animal welfare and responsible animal ownership.”
“Guinea pigs, like all animals, deserve to be treated with care and respect,” Petrillo said. “By adding them as protected species, you’re taking a stand against the commercial exploitation of these gentle creatures.”
“These beautiful creatures are subjected to inadequate living conditions and suffer greatly in the pet trade."Sheryl Petrillo, president of Animal Defenders Greater Lehigh Valley
The ban also will encourage more people to adopt from rescues and shelters, she said.
Easton and Forks Township have similar animals-sales bans on their books, as do major metropolises such as New York City and Boston, Petrillo said.
Betta fish ban rejected
Petrillo and others pushed council to “extend these protections to other vulnerable species,” urging members to add betta fish to the bill.
“These beautiful creatures are subjected to inadequate living conditions and suffer greatly in the pet trade,” she said.
Liz Cabrera Holtz, senior campaigns manager for World Animal Protection, told council members the federal Animal Welfare Act protects many small animals, including guinea pigs, but does not regulate the sale of fish, reptiles and amphibians.
Betta fish are commercially bred in mills in the United States and Thailand before sitting in tiny containers at pet shops, Holtz said.
“There’s no rules, there's no laws and there's no inspectors."Liz Cabrera Holtz, senior campaigns manager for World Animal Protection
“They’re kept in plastic cups and baskets completely inappropriate for a fish,” she said.
The fish-raising industry is meant to self-regulate, but it doesn't, Holtz said.
“There’s no rules, there's no laws and there's no inspectors,” she said.
But council rejected the betta fish measure with a tied vote.
Member Ed Zucal, who co-sponsored the bill banning guinea-pig sales, said he “would be kind of reluctant to extend it to fish.”
