Suburban Puppy Business

Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.

If you've been thinking about buying a puppy, there's something you should know. Back in April, Cook County put in place a law to limit the sales of dogs, cats and rabbits to those that come from rescue groups, humane societies, government-run shelters or federally licensed breeders who use no more than five reproducing females. The law was set to take effect October 1st, but suburban pet stores are now suing Cook County claiming the law to be unconstitutional because it would put them out of business and cause them "financial ruin". The new law will be postponed until a judge rules on the complaint. The verdict is expected to be heard on October 22nd. [Chicago Tribune]