Predatory lending happens EVERY DAY in Virginia's pet stores, which sell puppies and kittens from out of state puppy mills from the mid west. Our pet stores use customers emotions to convenience them into buying a puppy because "the puppy wants to come home with you" and "look how it's looking at you" etc.

The pet store then offers you a high interest rate "finance option" or even worse, a "leasing option" so you can walk out of the store with a $1500.00 puppy mill puppy for less then $200.00 that day. After you are done paying your animal off, you have spent TWO to THREE times the amount on puppy or kitten.

If you signed a lease, the pet store can repossess your new family member if you are late on payments or can no longer pay the monthly installments. Many states have already passed legislation stopping this egregious predatory lending practice for consumer protection reasons. Many of these puppies, which are sold sick, end up back in our shelters and rescues at the tax payers expense.

SENATOR BILL STANLEY has introduced a bill, SB 1065, which would phase out this predatory lending practice, for good, in our Commonwealth and believes that our companion animals deserve better. PLEASE SIGN this petition, if you live in Virginia, and let's send a strong message of THANKS and SUPPORT and ask our General Assembly to VOTE YES ON SB 1065 on January 24th, 2019. Virginia signatures only please and PLEASE SHARE ALL OVER VIRGINIA!

(photo credit: Best Friends Animal Sanctuary)