4 more N.J. towns join push to ban puppy mill sales

Haddon Township, Winslow Township, Pine Hill and Clementon are all on board.

No one can accuse Camden County residents of not having "Norman" -- and so many of his kind -- in their best interests.

New Jersey Residents Against Puppy Mills announced Wednesday that four more Camden County towns have signed on to "Norman's Law," a resolution targeting pet stores selling animals from mills which was named after county Freeholder Jeffrey Nash's adopted shelter pup.

"When you take a hard look at this issue, you have no choice but to support the ban to make very right a terrible wrong," Nash said in the release that announces Haddon Township, Winslow Township, Pine Hill and Clementon of having approved the legislation put forth last fall by the freeholder board.

The proposal from Camden County officials came after animal activists raised concerns over the source of puppies for sale at a Cherry Hill pet store. New Jersey Residents Against Puppy Mills contends that animals raised in "horrendous conditions" on mills decrease the likelihood of shelter pets and other rescued animals of being adopted.

State Sen. Ray Lesniak later proposed a bill that would prohibit pet shops from acquiring animals from anywhere except kennels, shelters or animal rescue organizations. Monmouth, Mercer, Ocean and Middlesex counties have also recently taken steps mirroring the effort in Camden County.

Anti-mill effort announced

"One of the most effective ways to take action against abuse is to prevent puppy mill
puppies from being sold in pet stores," Melanie Kahn, a director with the Humane Society of the United States, said in the release.

So far, 19 Camden County communities have passed the law. Clementon approved it on March 15, Pine Hill on March 21 and Haddon and Winslow townships on March 22. New Jersey Residents Against Puppy Mills hopes to spur the remaining Camden County towns to also adopt their own versions of the ordinance.

"As more and more municipalities take action, those that do not are at greater risk of a puppy mill pet store opening in their community. We believe that most members of the Camden County will support these ordinances," the association said Wednesday. "What community would not want to be animal friendly?"

Berlin in late February became the 15th of Camden County's 37 municipalities to regulate the sale of dogs and cats at pet stores. Those municipalities are Audubon, Brooklawn, Cherry Hill, Gloucester Township, Haddon Heights, Laurel Springs, Magnolia, Merchantville, Oaklyn, Runnemede, Somerdale, Voorhees, Waterford Township and Berlin.