3:00
Elected officials in a western Massachusetts city say they’ve struck a blow against the inhumane breeding of dogs. A local pet store is threatening a lawsuit.
The city of Springfield has put on the books a ban on the retail sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits sourced from commercial breeders.
The so-called “puppy mill” ordinance was unanimously approved by the City Council and signed by Mayor Domenic Sarno, according to the mayor’s spokesman.
Councilor Melvin Edwards, the lead sponsor, said it came about out of concern for animals coming to pet stores from high-volume commercial dog breeders.
With the vote to pass this, we get the clock starting on creating a more safer environment for both the consumer and the animals that exist in the city of Springfield, Edwards said.
11:34
After adopting an Irish sight hound, Laura Schenone discovers a remarkable and little-known fight to gain justice for dogs and for all animals. The Dogs of Avalon introduces us to the strong-willed Marion Fitzgibbon, born in rural Ireland, where animals are valued only for their utility. But Fitzgibbon believes that suffering is felt by all creatures, and she champions the cause of strays, baffling those around her - including her family - as she and a group of local women rescue any animal in need and taking on increasingly risky missions.
Laura Schenone is an award-winning author who has written A Thousand Years Over a Hot Stove and The Lost Ravioli Recipes of Hoboken. Her newest book is The Dogs of Avalon: The Race to Save Animals in Peril.