To the editor,
Re: Pet store sales of dogs and cats should continue, Letters, July 20.
When I first saw this item in the paper, my immediate reaction was ‘they can’t be serious.’ Why do mayor and council think their mandate provides them or the SPCA the right or the special expertise to determine as to where I should buy my dogs?
I have been a customer of Paws N Jaws for years. We were incredibly fortunate to purchase our last dog from the Benders and Chase is an important part of our family. We are often told by neighbours and people that we see during our daily walks that we “have the best dog.”
During our purchase, we were treated professionally and we were given outstanding after-sales service.
I can not help but note that this family hire employees, rents space and buys services and pays property taxes and utilities to the City of Nanaimo and hopefully, if government does not meddle, they will be able to pay income taxes to the federal and provincial government. I also can not help but note that the Benders have been in business for more than 22 years.
Do council or the SPCA actually believe that a business would be able to survive 22 years if they were selling mistreated dogs? This is another case of ‘big government’ thinking that they can do something better than what private enterprise has already been doing quite well.
The SPCA is not an elected body. They have no right to determine where I purchase my pets. If I or anyone else mistreats their animal, then they have a mandate to report this to the authorities.
I would expect that any decision to restrict the Benders’ right to sell dogs should be defeated in a unanimous vote.
Doug and Nancy Johnston, Nanaimo