In the wake of Monday’s decision by the Henderson County, North Carolina, Board of Commissioners to continue its ban on pet sales at flea markets, two swap meet professionals have offered comments on the 4-to-1 vote banning animal sales. Both oppose the ban.
Ben Campen, co-owner of Smiley’s Flea Market near Fletcher, the largest flea market in the region, was quoted in a Citizen-Times.com news report on Tuesday. “The county commission made a decision, and we go on with life,” he says. “As a financial concern, it’s insignificant. To me, this was more about personal responsibility and free enterprise — some people wanted to sell, some people wanted to buy.”
Campen added that animals were treated well at his flea market and had a covered area with water, when a few vendors were allowed to sell them at the market three years ago.
Adam Reed, owner of CritterCabin.com, a wholesale supplier of animals to flea market vendors, was measured in his response. “As a pet store owner/supplier, I understand both sides to the issue,” he tells FleaMarketZone.com. “We are in the pet business because we love the animals and love sending them to good homes. There is a fine line between being responsible and being greedy. It would be nice to find a way for the flea markets to be able to allow reputable rescues, breeders and educators to continue their business of taking care of the animals and rehoming them at the flea markets. It is unfortunate that those of us who spend the time and money to properly care for and rescue these animals must pay for the greed of the ones that don’t. The backyard and car trunk breeders tend to give the rest of us a less than positive reputation! Banning pet sales at flea markets altogether is a shame and misses an opportunity to help the pets that need it.”
Photo credit, with thanks: SalisburyPost.com.