Pet Store Ordinance Adopted in Wake of Eagle Pet Center Scandal

After a fervent Facebook campaign and a petition on Change.org, the furor over Eagle Pet Center came to a quiet end on Tuesday night, when the Shakopee City Council unanimously approved a new pet store license ordinance.

Allegations of neglect at the pet store sparked an outcry in July. Owner Ed Dressen eventually agreed to surrender his animals. About 75 to 100 animals were removed from Eagle Pet Center, including rabbits, fish and rodents. Nevertheless, the complaints led to calls for a city licensing system.

Tuesday night, Police Chief Jeff Tate presented the end result to the council. Tate said that the authors of the ordinance went into it with the goal of creating the "least intrusive ordinance possible." The ordinance is modeled on a section of Bloomington's city code.

"It is stripped down a little bit from what they have, but I believe it accomplish the same goals," Tate said. "It gives the council the power to revoke or suspend a license if they so choose."

Under the new code, pet store owners will be subject to a one-time $100 licensing fee.

The new ordinance also outlines minimum health, safety and sanitation requirements for pet stores and addresses specific complaints that have come up in the past: As per the ordinance, a pet store cannot have absorbent floors and animal waste cannot accumulate for more than 24 hours. Tate said that the police department would not conduct regular inspections, however.

"(Inspections) would be complaint driven," he told the council.

The ordinance met with little resistance from the dais. The proposal passed with only a few comments from the council and no discussion from the audience. 

"I think this does a good job of walking the fine line—making sure we have safe humane conditions while not impinging on their business," Mayor Brad Tabke said.