Background: In February 2026, the Philadelphia City Council Committee on Rules held public hearings on Bill 250989, introduced by Councilmember Cindy Bass. The bill proposed a three‑year moratorium on dog breeding and selling puppies under seven months of age in Philadelphia by unlicensed breeders. After extensive testimony from animal welfare advocates, shelter leaders, veterinarians, and volunteers, the measure, formally Ordinance 250989, was unanimously approved (15–0) on February 19, 2026.

Dr. Melissa Resnick, DVM, MPH, DACVPM, a 20‑year Philadelphia resident and shelter veterinarian, submitted written testimony in strong support of this measure. Her full testimony to the Committee on Rules appears below.

Biography: Melissa Resnick, DVM, MPH, DACVPM

A graduate of the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine and the University of Texas School of Public Health, Dr. Resnick brings a wealth of experience as a shelter medicine expert and public health veterinarian with over two decades of experience improving the lives of animals and their communities. She has provided critical medical and surgical care to thousands of shelter animals throughout Philadelphia. Her passion extends beyond direct animal care to addressing systemic challenges in animal welfare, including improving access to veterinary care, interventions to pet relinquishment, and implementing humane solutions for community cats. Dr. Resnick supports many animal protection organizations and also serves on the Pennsylvania Voters For Animals Board, advocating for meaningful state and local legislative reforms for all animals across Pennsylvania.

Written Testimony of Dr. Melissa Resnick, DVM, MPH  

Dear Councilmembers, 

I have been a Philadelphia resident for 20 years and have spent the last 13 years working as a shelter veterinarian in Philadelphia, including the open-admission municipal shelter ACCT Philly that intakes thousands of dogs a year. I also work in several low-cost medical and surgical clinics that provide accessible care to the public’s pets. 

I am writing to ask that you please vote yes on Councilmember Bass’s Temporary Dog Breeding Moratorium, bill 250989, which will be heard on Thursday. 

I have performed emergency surgeries, treated infections, and managed the pain of abandoned and relinquished dogs used for breeding. I have seen scared, malnourished, abandoned dogs who arrive at the shelter dripping with milk after nursing puppies were abruptly weaned. I see extremely ill and dying puppies who could have been spared their suffering with basic vaccination. I see the public health risks that unvaccinated, improperly dewormed, and unsocialized dogs pose to the community. And I see the exhausted and heartbroken staff who care for these dogs in a shelter that must take in all abandoned and surrendered dogs, even when beyond capacity. 

I witness the heartbreak of dog owners who have no choice but to relinquish their pet in the hope that we can save their pet’s life when they are unable to afford expensive medical treatments. I care for countless puppies purchased from breeders who present with life-threatening illness as a result of improper vaccination, or congenital diseases such as severe joint disease/deformity and brachycephalic (flat-faced) dogs who struggle to breathe. I also see the surrendered one year old dogs, purchased as puppies, by owners who can no longer afford dog food, veterinary care, or are frustrated by the behavior disorders caused by the breeder’s improper socialization and bad genetics. 

In low-cost clinics I hear desperate stories from people who didn’t anticipate the expensive treatment their purchased dog requires. I see breeder paperwork that demonstrates that even basic care hasn’t been provided. Inadequately vaccinated puppies can result in illness that costs thousands of dollars to treat. Consumers are often unprepared for the additional and ongoing costs of veterinary care, shortage of appointments, and long wait times at low-cost surgical and medical clinics. Well-intentioned consumers are often uneducated about the source of the puppies, as well as the genetic problems of various dog breeds that will later require expensive veterinary care. When owners cannot afford this care, they are relinquished to overburdened shelters, or they must make the difficult option of economic euthanasia. I’m haunted by the faces of scared and confused dogs who desperately search for their former family members. 

Not only have I seen dog intake increase overall, I’ve seen an increase in purebred dogs such as French bulldogs and huskies. Intake data from ACCT Philly shows that indiscriminate or unregulated breeding is a primary driver of shelter crowding and dog relinquishment. Yet, for a minimum fee, a shelter dog who is already sterilized, vaccinated, and microchipped can be adopted, and if need be, returned to the shelter to get rehomed. 

Alongside other shelter staff, I work tirelessly to ease the suffering of thousands of dogs. As more animals enter than exit shelters, even healthy animals are at risk of euthanasia. It is daunting and emotional work. Anything that can be done to staunch the flow of animals into shelters will help. We cannot spay and neuter our way out of this. We cannot adopt our way out of this. Imposing a temporary moratorium on the breeding and selling of dogs under 7 months in Philadelphia would have a substantial impact on the number of animals entering shelters and alleviate some of the burden that falls on shelters and rescues. I urge you to support this bill that will improve both animal and human welfare.  I hope I can count on you to vote yes on Thursday.

Sincerely, 

Melissa Resnick, DVM, MPH

This written testimony is reprinted here with permission from its author, Dr. Resnick, DVM, MPH.