San Francisco made history when it banned the cruel retail sale of cats, dogs, and rabbits in pet stores. This huge step for animal protection has helped reduce support for breeding mills and get more animals adopted from local rescues.

Unfortunately, all other animals such as hamsters, turtles, and parrots remain completely unprotected. These “exotic pets” come from cruel factory farm-like breeding mills or are taken from the wild. Many die before they even reach the store.

Sign this petition to ask the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to simply expand the current retail animal sales ban to protect all animals.

Key facts:

• Virtually all animals sold in stores come from cruel breeding mills. Investigations have exposed widespread suffering, neglect, and death in these facilities.
• Some species sold as “pets” are wild animals. The US imports 27 million wild-caught animals annually to be sold as “pets”. This is cruel to wildlife and devastating to ecosystems.
• Shelters and rescue organizations are chronically overwhelmed with abandoned animals who desperately need homes. Pet stores can - and many already do - host adoption events with local rescues instead of buying animals from breeders or mills.
• Animals are not merchandise and pet stores do not need to sell them. In San Francisco, the vast majority of pet stores, 29 out of 37, are thriving without selling animals. Industry-wide, live animal sales account for ~3% of revenue.
• Over 90 organizations have signed a coalition letter in support of ending the cruel retail sale of animals.
• The SF Animal Advisory Council unanimously recommends that SF end animal sales and transition to an adoption-based model, which is already working for dogs, cats, and rabbits.
• Increasingly, cities are passing retail animal sales bans to protect all animals from pet industry cruelty.
• Following San Francisco, California ended the cruel retail sale of cats, dogs, and rabbits statewide (AB 485). We must expand these protections to include all animals.