Saving puppies? Hot topic in Downers Grove, but the juice isn’t worth the squeeze. The reality is that the majority of the Commissioners of Downers Grove, feel it is their responsibility to remove a viable resource from a local, family owned business. They want rescue sales only for dogs, cats and rabbits. Here is a great example of what happens when a pet store becomes a rescue store, $100,000.00 short on their vet bill. After being a good corporate citizen of twelve years in the Village Downers Grove, Happiness is Pets is in jeopardy of being shut down by the Village. This store provides a 4 year warranty and is far from a puppy mill. Actually, this particular type of business is one of the most highly regulated in the State of Illinois. In that light, the Animal Legal Defense Fund, a California-based nonprofit dedicated to protecting animal lives, for the 11th straight year ranked Illinois at the top of the list (#1) with the best animal protection laws in the country.
Could we be better? Sure we can, let’s take a page out of the State of Ohio that went from the worst puppy mill laws to the strictest with the help of the Humane Society United States. The law focuses on breeders and their sale of dogs within the State. This new law protects ALL dogs in Ohio, not a few. On January 15th Chamber630 submitted Ohio House Bill 506 to the Village Commissioners for consideration (a State option was included on the staff report). Area State of Illinois Representatives also received a copy of this bill and we’ve heard that it will be submitted for consideration – on a state-wide level – as it should be.
As business people, how you would feel if the Village of Downers Grove Council decided they knew better than you and the regulators of the State of Illinois, and decided you couldn’t provide mortgages to certain people or sell cut flowers or take from you, a viable, highly regulated resource of your income(?) Based on the voice of the Council majority, the direction provided to Village staff is to prepare such an ordinance. This issue may be on the agenda on Tuesday, February 6th and/or 13th. I encourage you to provide Council with your response. Council needs to hear from their business community. Council emails are below. As the date nears, I will also provide the link to E-Marks which is shared with all Commissioners.
No Village of Downers Grove, business doesn’t vote – but business certainly counts every vote of their elected officials.
- Mayor Martin T. Tully
- Commissioner Bob Barnett
- Commissioner Greg Hosé
- Commissioner William Waldack
- Commissioner Bill White
- Commissioner Marge Earl
- Commissioner Nicole Walus
Thank you for your Membership,
Laura Crawford
President & CEO
Chamber630
