This evening, Monday, May 11th, the Board of Commissioners in Radnor, Pennsylvania (a suburb of Philadelphia) voted to approve an ordinance to ban the retail sale of all live animals. This ban includes fish. The Township currently does not have a local fish shop (LFS) or other pet store, and one Commissioner made a comment that she does not know where residents obtain their animals. One person spoke in favor of the proposed ordinance, and a representative from the Pet Advocacy Network (PAN) testified in opposition. USAQUA submitted written testimony, and one Commissioner made a comment that she had heard from a lot of owners of aquariums. Despite this, citing the lack of businesses impacted in the Township, the Commissioners passed the ordinance.
Pushing ordinances to ban LFSes and other pet retailers in jurisdictions in which such businesses do not exist is becoming a common tactic by animal rights groups. Because no local businesses are affected, and hobbyists already have to travel elsewhere to obtain their fish and other pets, there is generally little opposition. However, animal rights groups then use these jurisdictions as examples to pressure nearby jurisdictions that do have LFSes and other pet retailers to pass similar ordinances.
A recording of the Board of Commissioners meeting can be viewed here. The agenda item on the proposed ordinance starts at 37:10.
