Companion Animal Care Articles used with permission from All-Creatures.org

In Defense of Animals shares the exciting news that West Hollywood has adopted a groundbreaking ban on the sale of animals, a move that will hopefully inspire similar action elsewhere and help shift our culture away from the practice of commodifying animals.

West Hollywood Officially Adopts Nation’s Most Comprehensive Animal Sales Ban
From Staff, IDA In Defense of Animals, idausa.org
September 2025

Photo from Canva/Pixabay

WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (September 16, 2025) — On September 15, West Hollywood made history by adopting the nation’s most comprehensive ban on animal sales at pet stores. In Defense of Animals, Animal Alliance Network, and the International Alliance for the Protection of Parrots, worked together with local, grassroots activists and other organizations including World Animal Protection and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, to achieve this landmark victory for animals bred in cruel mills sold in pet stores.

The ordinance expands the city's prohibition on the sale of dogs and cats in pet stores to include other mammals, amphibians, arachnids, birds, fish, hermit crabs, and reptiles. Effective May 1, 2026, West Hollywood’s expanded ordinance is the most comprehensive animal sales ban in the U.S. and the first of its kind in California.

Monday’s action marks the city council’s final adoption of this historic animal sales ban, after voting unanimously in support at its last meeting on August 18, 2025.

“This groundbreaking ban ends the sale of animals from cruel mills and puts compassion first,” said Lisa Levinson, Campaigns Director at In Defense of Animals. “Most animals sold in California pet stores, ranging from birds and reptiles to small mammals, come from cruel breeding mills. These animals often suffer in captivity, as many lack federal protections and cannot thrive in human homes. We applaud Mayor Chelsea Lee Byers and the entire West Hollywood City Council for approving the nation’s most comprehensive animal sales ban at pet stores and encourage others to follow.”

Animal Alliance Network shared, “We are overjoyed that the City of West Hollywood has passed an ordinance to ban the commercial sale of animals. West Hollywood is a proven trailblazer for animal protection legislation and we hope other municipalities will follow their lead!”

“The bird mill to pet store pipeline harms parrots, treating them as inventory rather than the wild animals they are,” said a spokesperson for the International Alliance for the Protection of Parrots. “Thanks to this new ordinance, parrots will no longer suffer in West Hollywood pet stores, which do not possess the space, expertise, or time to properly care for these animals.”

The new ban is expected to drive a positive culture shift from commodifying animals toward encouraging adoption. Pet stores now have the opportunity to make a positive difference by showcasing animals in need of loving homes.

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Posted on All-Creatures.org: September 17, 2025
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