This bill prohibits the sale of dogs and cats by retail pet shops, with certain exceptions. It defines a "retail pet store" as a pet vendor that transfers animals at retail to the public from a physical facility, excluding animal shelter facilities. The bill prohibits licensees from transferring maimed, sick, or diseased animals, and from treating animals inhumanely. It also prohibits retail pet stores from transferring dogs or cats, except in certain cases. However, retail pet stores are allowed to provide space to animal shelter facilities for showcasing adoptable animals, as long as they do not have ownership interest in the animals and do not receive any fee for providing the space. The bill also establishes requirements for retail pet stores to transfer dogs or cats, including having a valid pet vendor license and not exceeding the number of transfers completed in 2023. Violations of the provisions may result in administrative fines. The bill will take effect on January 1, 2025.

According to the fiscal note, the bill's impact on revenue and expenditures is indeterminable. The Department of Agriculture, Markets and Food predicts that the bill would reduce the number of entities engaging in the commercial transfer of pets, including rescues, pet stores, and local breeders. This could lead to an increase in online, sight-unseen transfer opportunities, which are difficult to regulate and pose risks in terms of disease introduction and spontaneous purchases. The Department also notes that fewer entities remaining in business would make it inefficient to maintain a regulatory licensing program, and that closure of small businesses could have implications for employment, household incomes, and business taxes.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 437:1, 437:5, 437:7, 437:10