Week after week, potential adopters scroll past the rescue brown and black dogs posted online. At the shelter, visitors walk past kennels with no kennel cards displaying engaging photos that would make them stop and take a second look.

In a proactive move, Madison, Wisconsin, has enacted a ban prohibiting the sale of cats and dogs in all retail pet stores. The ordinance bars pet stores from selling, offering for sale, or delivering dogs or cats within city limits. Civil penalties apply for violations. Motivated by concerns about shelter overpopulation and the welfare of animals from commercial breeders or puppy mills, city leaders acted before any stores began sales.