Photo: Shari Small / WBZ NewsRadio
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — In February, North Andover High School junior Erica Parks took the title of Miss Boston's Teen, but since then she's made a difference in her community to prioritize the adoption of shelter animals.
"I'm really honored that I'm able to grow my community service initiative which is called "Paws for a Cause," Parks said.
Parks told WBZ's Shari Small that she wasted no time bringing the "Humane Pet Shop Ordinance" to North Andover's town meetings, where it eventually passed to prohibit pet shops from selling dogs, cats, and guinea pigs, or rabbits in lieu of partnerships with local adoption centers to display shelter animals for adoption.
Erica Parks - North Andover High Junior, Miss Boston's Teen.Photo: Shari Small / WBZ NewsRadio
"I started working with the [Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals – Angell Animal Medical Center] in late October, early November, the ordinance was drafted and approved by January. The citizen's petition was in— I spoke at the town meeting May 16 and it was adopted," Parks said.
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Parks goes on to say that a lot of the time pets coming into stores are from abusive breeding facilities from out-of-state. The ordinance puts an emphasis on those up for adoption still looking for their forever homes.
"The message we're really sending here is 'adopt don't shop,'" Parks said.
WBZ's Shari Small (@ShariSmallNews) reports.
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