The City of Richmond’s controversial bid to ban the sale of puppies in stores was adopted Monday night.

In stark contrast to previous city hall meetings when more than 100 animal welfare activists and pet store representatives had packed the room, only two delegations — which were against the ban — took to the floor as the ban’s bylaw sailed through with minimal opposition.

The new bylaw will come into effect next April, making Richmond the first city in Canada to ban the sale of puppies from storefronts.

The move is primarily aimed at counteracting impulse buys and taking away one of the points of sale for unscrupulous puppy mills which house and breed dogs in appalling conditions.

Richmond’s pet stores have claimed they get their stock from reputable breeders and not from the puppy mills.

Their representative body, the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council, has previously said it may challenge the city’s bylaw in the courts.