BILL NUMBER: S8252A
SPONSOR: GIANARIS
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the general business law and the agriculture and markets
law, in relation to pet dealers; and to repeal certain provisions of the
general business law relating thereto
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This bill clarifies that the provisions of Chapter 681 of the Laws of
2022 in relation to prohibited sales are applicable to all pet dealers
licensed pursuant to Article 35-D of the General Business Law and Arti-
cle 26-A of the Agriculture and Markets Law.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section one of the bill amends the general business law to remove the
bifurcated definition of "pet dealer," which is no longer necessary to
differentiate between retail pet stores and home-based breeders selling
directly to consumers after December 15, 2024.
Section two of the bill amends the general business law to better clari-
fy the intent of the legislature in terms of the prohibition on sales of
dogs, cats and rabbits.
Section three of the bill amends the general business law by adding a
new subdivision nine to provide a statutory definition of "Broker."
Section four of the bill amends the general business law to expressly
include the term "broker" within the statutory sales prohibitions estab-
lished by Chapter 81 of the Laws of 2022.
Section five of the bill amends the agriculture and markets law, to
remove the bifurcated definition of "pet dealer," which is no longer
necessary to differentiate between retail pet stores and home-based
breeders selling directly to consumers after December 15, 2024.
Section six of the bill establishes that the bill be effective imme-
diately.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Chapter 681 of the Laws of 2022, more commonly known as the "Puppy Mill
Pipeline Act," prohibited the sale of dogs, cats and rabbits in retail
pet stores, effective December 15, 2024. With more than 120 co-sponsors,
this bipartisan measure passed by a wide margin and effectively shut
down an inherently cruel, broken system which allowed retail pet stores,
brokers, and transporters and wholesale breeders to profit handsomely
from animal suffering. This bill seeks to clarify the legislature's
intent regarding that life-saving work, by responsibly ensuring that the
provisions of the Puppy Mill Pipeline Act are applicable to brokers
intermediaries that sell dogs they did not breed. In addition, the
legislation ensures that the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets
can reliably carry out its enforcement and regulatory oversight of
state-licensed breeding facilities, as originally prescribed 25 years
ago with the enactment of New York's Pet Dealer Consumer Protection and
Animal Care Standards Act.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New Bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

Statutes affected:
S8252: 752 general business law, 752(3) general business law, 752(8) general business law, 753-f general business law, 753-f(1) general business law
S8252A: 752 general business law, 752(3) general business law, 752(8) general business law, 753-f general business law, 753-f(1) general business law