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Sarasota News Leader December 13, 2013 Page 15 "We are working to make Sarasota County a no-kill county, and this is another step towards that goal," Elise Matthes, a longtime animal rights activist in Sarasota County and co-founder of Sarasota in Defense of Animals, told the commissioners Tuesday. originating from puppy mills. Under Hallandale Beach's law, retail-store owners have to provide a valid certification of the source for each animal. The commissioners in that community took up the issue after a citywide outcry over puppy mill practices began three years ago. Hallandale Beach leaders say Puppy mills supply virtually all pet shop dogs, they hope the ban will encourage those seekaccording to the national nonprofit Friends of ing a family dog to consider adopting from Animals. the community shelter. More than two dozen bans across the country, all of which have taken effect in the past three to four years, are evidence of a rapidly growing movement to put an end to the puppy mills, supporters of the Sarasota County ordinance told the board. Flagler Beach has a stricter ordinance that prohibits the sale or disposition of live animals for "commercial gain" or "other commercial purpose." Michele Lazarow, a Hallandale Beach commissioner who drove from the state's east coast Last year, the Hallandale Beach City for Tuesday's County Commission meeting, Commission prohibited the sale of dogs said she began championing restrictions on Clearly, there are some legal concerns. Stephen DeMarsh County Attorney Sarasota County Elise Matthes speaks in support of a ban. Photo by Roger Drouin