Activists seeking puppy mill ban, starts locally

BRANFORD, Conn. (AP) — Five months after her beloved boxer died, Lori Nicholson told a group at the local animal shelter she wasn’t ready for a new dog yet.

‘‘I said my next dog would find me,’’ Nicholson said.

An abandoned 1-year-old black Labrador mix, thirsty and scared, began following Nicholson around town 24 hours later. The dog, Missey, has lived with Nicholson and her husband for two years.

That kind of serendipity can’t be legislated, but Nicholson is spearheading a movement to pass a law in Branford that would ban the sale of puppies from so-called ‘‘puppy mills.’’

A similar bill was proposed in the state legislature last spring, leading to the creation of a task force that is researching the issue. The task force will present a report and proposed legislation for the legislative session that begins in January, said member Amy Harrell, president of CT Votes for Animals.

Nicholson is working with the task force, which will hold another hearing in Hartford next week. She and Harrell both said they want laws to require that pet stores sell dogs from shelters and rescue organizations, rather than from breeders.

Nicholson’s proposed scenario would have stores working with pounds and rescuers to sell puppies at a commission. Stores could maintain databases of dogs available from area rescuers and sell products and costly services such as grooming and pet-sitting, Nicholson said.

A handful of large cities, including Los Angeles, have banned the sale of commercially bred