Background: On February 3, 2026, the Philadelphia City Council Committee on Rules held a public hearing on Bill 250989 introduced by Councilmember Cynthia Bass. Proposed Bill 250989 calls for a 3-year moratorium on the breeding and selling of puppies under 7-months of age in Philadelphia by unlicensed breeders. The bill will not apply to non-profit animal rescues or licensed Pennsylvania breeders. Sarah Barnett, Executive Director of Animal Care and Control Team of Philadelphia (ACCT Philly), offered compelling testimony in support of Bill 250989 because the bill can positively affect the tens of thousands of animals that enter ACCT Philly; ACCT Philly staff, volunteers, and donors; and, the residents of Philadelphia. Sarah’s professional biography and full testimony to the Committee on Rules is published below.

Sarah Barnett’s Biography: With a passion for helping animals and people, Sarah’s gained unique perspective and experience, launching and managing the social media for the Northern Virginia based Lost Dog and Cat Rescue for many years, working at the national level at the Humane Society of the United States, and then as Director, Development and Communications, for 18 months before becoming the interim Co-Executive Director at ACCT Philly. In January of 2023, she became the executive director of ACCT Philly, which is the largest open intake shelter in the Philadelphia region, taking in 20,000 animals a year. Prior to joining ACCT Philly, she worked in several communications roles at the Humane Society of the United States, with a focus on public relations, social media, crisis communications, and when they overlap. 

Sarah Barnett’s Testimony before Philadelphia City Council

“Good morning, Chairperson Bass, Vice Chairman Squilla and City Council Rules Committee members. My name is Sarah Barnett, and I am here on behalf of ACCT Philly, the city’s only open-intake animal shelter. Thank you for the opportunity to testify today in support of Bill 250989, legislation that establishes a temporary breeding moratorium for dogs in the City of Philadelphia. Specifically, the temporary moratorium is for thirty-six (36) months from the effective date of the bill which is sixty (60) days after the bill becomes law.

Since 2012, ACCT Philly has provided animal control services to the city, and since its inception that year, ACCT Philly has taken into its facility over 291,000 animals. As an open-intake shelter, we are legally and ethically required to accept every animal that comes through our doors, stray or surrendered, healthy or sick, young or old, from every neighborhood in Philadelphia.

Last year alone, more than 20,000 animals entered ACCT Philly, making us one of the largest single-site animal shelters in the country. We are the city’s triage facility for animals, and the need for our services has never been greater.

Prior to the pandemic, ACCT’s intake was slowly falling, but since the pandemic we have seen a dramatic and sustained increase in dog intake, growing by nearly 1,000 additional dogs per year. In 2025, over 7,400 dogs entered the shelter, Today, an average of 22 dogs enter our shelter every single day, and we expect in 2026 we’ll take in over 8,000 dogs. This has forced us into a constant state of reaction and triage, where staff, volunteers and rescue partners are doing everything possible to try to save lives and meet the needs of the community.

One of the first questions I am asked when people hear our intake numbers is: Why is this happening? There are many factors, but irresponsible and unregulated backyard breeding is a major driver of this increase. We see the impact firsthand. We see puppies surrendered because they are “too big to sell now.” We see mother dogs who have been bred repeatedly, only to be abandoned once their bodies give out—many suffering from preventable medical conditions caused by repeated breeding. We see puppies arriving sick with parvovirus, a highly contagious and often deadly disease that is preventable through basic vaccines. We see dogs purchased as puppies from breeders with significant behavioral issues that make them unsafe.

This problem doesn’t just impact the shelter system, it impacts public health, public safety, and quality of life in our neighborhoods. Parvovirus is a virus that lives in the environment for up to 6 months, infecting other dogs in the community who aren’t fully vaccinated. I’ve watched an owner stand with his 5-year-old dog while the dog died, a dog who never left the house and yard. His owner got him one vaccine, but didn’t know dogs must have two to be protected. He unknowingly brought the virus into the home. And we see families who unknowingly purchased a puppy who becomes gravely ill within days, facing thousands of dollars in medical bills and devastating emotional consequences, forcing them to surrender a dog, with the dog then taking up limited shelter resources.

For years, free and low-cost spay and neuter services have been offered, and they are critically important—but they are not enough on their own. The scale of breeding is increasingly outpacing the system’s ability to respond and producing simply too many dogs for Philadelphia adopters to absorb. While this is happening in communities around the country, we’re fortunate because thanks to Councilwoman Bass, we have an opportunity to do something about it.

ACCT Philly has faced challenges over the years, and we have made meaningful progress. Passing this common sense, practical bill empowers us to take a preventive, rather than purely reactive, approach to one of the biggest drivers of dog overpopulation in our city – unlicensed breeders. It allows us to focus on a major cause of overpopulation in our shelter. It allows us to focus on lifesaving, community support, and responsible pet ownership—rather than constantly chasing the next crisis.

This is a temporary, targeted solution to a real and growing problem, and it gives us one more essential tool to protect animals, support residents, and strengthen our community as a whole. Thank you for your time and for your consideration. I am happy to answer any questions.”

Note: If you want to watch Ms. Barnett’s testimony given at the public hearing, you can do so at https://youtu.be/0Kn9QYpILb0. Her testimony starts at approximately minute 27. 

Please visit ACCT Philly’s website to learn more about how you can support their work: acctphilly.org