Commissioners to Explore Possible Alternative to a Total Ban on the Retail Sale of Pets

BRADENTON — The majority of Manatee County Commissioners appeared to lean toward not reinstating the formerly adopted, then reversed, local ordinance that banned the retail sale of cats and dogs. At a Tuesday BOCC meeting, commissioners unanimously agree to direct the county attorney’s office to explore another potential option.

Commissioner George Kruse requested the item be added to Tuesday’s agenda so fellow board members could share their positions on whether the county should consider revisiting a retail ban on pets.

A previous board—comprised of mostly different commissioners—approved the adoption of an ordinance banning the retail sale of pets within Manatee County in 2021. Commissioner Kruse is the only commissioner currently serving who cast a vote for that ordinance’s adoption. He was one of four commissioners who voted in favor of it in a split vote.

However, in 2023, a newly seated board voted to repeal the ordinance, with Kruse being the lone commissioner to vote against its repeal.

Hopeful that the makeup of yet another board might show an appetite to revisit the prior two actions—the adoption and then the repeal—Kruse suggested the board consider moving the topic to a work session meeting. Tuesday’s discussion item was not scheduled for a motion but rather a possible direction to staff and the county attorney’s office to move forward with exploring possible options and the scheduling of a future work session meeting. 

But early in the conversation on Tuesday, it became clear that there would not be a majority of commissioners in support of moving forward with reinstating a total ban on the retail sale of pets.

Numerous members of the public appeared in person or by phone to address commissioners on the topic, including animal rights advocates, retail pet store representatives, employees, and store owners.

Several commissioners argued that a total ban would be a governmental overreach and perhaps even an unconstitutional action that could harm local business owners and their employees.

Proponents of a ban countered those claims arguing that multiple successful pet stores are operating within the county that do not deal in the sale of cats and dogs. Those in support of a local ban also argued—as they have for years—that establishments who sell cats and dogs source their inventory from “puppy mills” and that the pets are kept in unfavorable conditions and often sold with existing health problems.

Local business owners and their affiliates denounced those claims, arguing that their businesses only purchase from reputable breeders and adhere to existing regulations and certification requirements.

Despite the many citizens who spoke both in favor and opposition, each commissioner appeared firm in their respective positions on the subject.

Finding that the board lacked majority support for even exploring a ban on the retail sale of pets, Kruse revised his proposal, offering that neighboring Pinellas County had opted for something of a middle-ground ordinance that attempted to address the same issue.

In 2022, the Pinellas County BOCC passed an update to its animal ordinance that banned the opening of new retail stores that sell dogs and/or cats while grandfathering in existing stores. Kruse proposed that if commissioners could agree to take similar action, that might offer an option to protect existing stores from having to change their business model while restricting new pet retail stores from establishing here.

“At a minimum,” Kruse said, speaking to his colleagues during Tuesday’s discussion, “what I would like is some sort of concession… there are three stores here (in Manatee County). Last time (when the first ordinance imposing a ban was adopted) there were only, like, two stores here, and a few months from now, when we walk off this dais, there may be four stores here.”

Kruse continued, “I do not want a fourth store here. At a bare, bare minimum, while we try to figure this out, I’d like our county attorney to at least look at what Pinellas did.”

Though the agenda item was only placed for discussion, the discussion resulted in Kruse making a motion to direct the county attorney to look into the regulations adopted by Pinellas County concerning retail pet stores and to bring back information and documentation for Manatee County commissioners to consider a similar ban to the establishment of any new retail pet stores in the county.

Kruse’s motion passed 6-0 with Commissioner Bob McCann absent.

Click the video below to replay the commissioners’ discussion on the regulation of the retail sale of cats and dogs during the Feb. 18, 2025, meeting.