The owner of Petland Dallas is suing the City of Dallas over its decision to ban the sale of puppies and kittens at pet stores. The city's Humane Pet Store Ordinance takes effect in November.
Jay Suk's lawsuit said the ordinance passed earlier this month will force his store out of business and will put his 30 employees out of work.
The lawsuit filed by the North Dallas franchise's company, D&J Pets, in a Dallas County court claims the measure discriminates against the store and violates the Texas Constitution. The lawsuit seeks an injunction preventing the ordinance from going into effect and more than $1 million in damages.
The lawsuit said puppy and kitten sales account for 80% of Petland Dallas' annual revenue and that the store sources cats and dogs "only from professional breeders and never from any substandard breeders."
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Petland Dallas said in its lawsuit that it has sold more than 15,000 dogs and cats to approximately 12,000 families and that the store, "sources the animals that it sells only from United States Department of Agriculture licensed breeders and dealers and select hobby breeders, as defined by the federal Animal Welfare Act."
Petland Dallas said, according to its lawsuit, that it has repeatedly offered to discuss its operations with members of the Dallas City Council and "remains ready and willing to discuss common-sense regulations."
"Closing Petland Dallas will not have an adverse impact on substandard breeders because Petland Dallas does not acquire puppies from substandard breeders," the company said in the lawsuit.
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The city said it could not comment on pending litigation.
Dallas is the last major Texas city to enact such a regulation, joining five states and more than 400 localities, according to the Humane Society of the United States.
Both the lawsuit and the city's Humane Pet Store ordinance can be read below.
