The Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons along with Suffolk County Legislator William Spencer (D-Centerport) announce the first meeting of the Pet Store Rating Board convened on February 6, 2013, where ARF Executive Director Sara Davison was voted Chair of the Board. Part of the overall Pet Store Rating Program, the Board is charged with assessing the pet stores within Suffolk County that apply to the program. The rating program is designed to better inform consumers of store practices before they seek to buy cats or dogs. The new board’s assessment will be based on pet store criteria passed by the Legislature last year.
“I am very excited to host the first meeting of what I see as the crux of the Pet Store Rating Program,” said Legislator Spencer. “Its members are extremely well-qualified and can easily determine if pet stores are operating in a safe and healthy manner benefitting the best interests of their animals.”
The legislation that created the board, originally passed by former Legislator Jon Cooper in 2011 required that the Board members have backgrounds dealing with
pet health and the pet industry. In addition to Ms. Davison, the Executive Director of the Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons, the other committee members include: Steve Laton, Suffolk County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Donald Sterling, formerly of the Suffolk County Police Department who is the owner of a dog boarding kennel, and the designee of the department of Consumer Affairs, Michael Maddox, a representative of the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council and Teri Meekins, DVM of the Shinnecock Animal Hospital.
Ms. Davison commented “I look forward to working with this distinguished group of people to develop and promote the pet store rating program and I thank Legislator Spencer for helping to establish this ratings program.”
Legislator Spencer added that “I am optimistic that the eventual success of the county’s rating program will serve as a model for others who are looking to increase consumer awareness regarding the health and history of our pets.”
