(PHOTO CREDIT: THINKSTOCK)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
San Francisco has had its fair share of crazy ideas... but here's one that's not half bad.
The city is considering banning the sale of all pets, except fish.
That would mean everything... from cats and dogs to hamsters, mice, rats, parrots, guinea pigs, birds, snakes, lizards... and on and on. The city's commission of animal control and welfare calls all these critters "companion animals."
The chairwoman tells the San Francisco chronicle that people buy small animals all the time as an "impulse buy"... they don't think about what they're getting into. and after the people decide they no longer want the animals, they often wind up at a shelter or euthanized.
Hamsters are apparently the biggest problem. People buy them because they think they're cute and cuddly... but quickly change their mind once the rodents start biting them or racing around on their exercise wheels in the middle of the night.
The proposed ban - believed to be the first of its kind - would require San Francisco residents who want a pet to either go to another city, adopt one from a shelter, or find it in the classifieds.
Pet store owners are up in arms - they call it a terrible idea and say they'd have to go out of business. Other critics call it an "anti-pet proposal from people who oppose the keeping of pets."
At a hearing last night, city officials decided to table the measure for now.
Here’s my question to you: San Francisco is considering banning the sale of pets, except fish. Good idea?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Tessa writes:
It's an awesome idea! It would be one step closer to putting an end to animal mills and it would raise the number of pets adopted from shelters. How can you go wrong with that when there are so MANY lives to be saved?
Kea in Honolulu writes:
Jack, Good idea. Owning a pet is like having a child. When the 101 Dalmatians movie remake came out, children across the nation wanted one. People later couldn't handle the responsibilities, and the dogs ended up unwanted in pounds.
Jack in Niceville, Florida writes:
Liberals should love pets. I love my two dogs, but they are obviously Democrats. They have never done an honest day's work in their lives and they survive solely off of my hard work and generosity! By the way, a fish is not a pet, just a decoration you have to feed!
Tim in Texas writes:
It's a good idea. I would make one modification. Allow people to buy pets within the city limits, but only after a waiting period of a week. Far too many people buy pets, as you say, as impulse buys.
Sarah writes:
What a forward-thinking and compassionate idea! Given the number of animals in shelters, this may be the best way to satisfy both a prospective pet owner's desire for companionship and save an animal's life.
Julie writes:
I live in Edson, Alberta, Canada, and I believe this to be the best idea I have ever heard. I hope they make this a worldwide law! Adoption of pets is the best thing to do, because it will reduce impulse purchases as well as put places such as puppy mills out of business. There is way too much animal abuse and neglect in our world. GO SAN FRAN!
Michael in Dallas writes:
What are you, Jack? Some kind of fish bigot?