Many legislative bills were passed into law during the 2009 session to regulate commercial breeders in efforts to crack down on puppy mills. Below is an overview of those bills, including 2008 laws that take effect in the 2009 calendar year.
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Go here to view the Animal Legal and Historical Center's table of current state laws concerning breeders, kennels, and puppy mills.
2008 Laws:
Louisiana (H.B. 1193)
Prohibits commercial breeders from keeping more than 75 breeding dogs over the age of one year at any time. Increases individual dog and cat license fees and requires commercial breeders who own more than five dogs who breeds and sells them to pay a kennel license fee. Violators will be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction be fined not more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned for not more than six months, or both. Effective 7/9/08
For more information or to read the bill, click here.
Pennsylvania (H.B. 2525)
Defines commercial breeder as any person or business that sells more than 60 dogs per year or sells dogs to a dealer or pet shop. The law bans killing dogs by shooting them and requires that dogs must be humanely euthanized by a veterinarian. Prohibits stacking of cages. Requires larger cages, twice a year veterinary exams, cage flooring that is not all wire, and includes requirements about food and water. Includes a provision for increased inspections and the ability of the state to obtain warrants to enforce the law. Various effective dates.
For more information or to read the bill, click here.
Virginia (H.B. 538)
Defines commercial breeders as any person who keeps 20 or more unsterilized adult females for breeding purposes. No commercial breeder would be allowed to have more than 50 dogs over the age of 4 months at any one time. The bill requires animal control to keep track of commercial breeders in their jurisdiction and breeders must cooperate with inspectors.
Commercial breeders must keep detailed records for each animal, which includes: sales, purchases, breeding history and veterinary care. In addition, breeders must dispose of waste and dead animals according to law, create a fire emergency plan and install fire safety measures such as smoke detectors and fire extinguishers. Effective January 2009.
For more information or to read the bill, click here.
2009 Laws:
Arizona (S.B. 1115 )
Requires all kennels that keep 20 or more dogs to submit to inspections. Kennels with fewer than 20 dogs may be subject to inspection if there has been a complaint of dog fighting or animal cruelty.
Each county in Arizona determines license fees, provides tags, maintains records, including vaccinations, establish pounds and issues kennel permits. Various effective dates.
For more information or to read the bill, click here.
Connecticut (S.B. 499)
Increases reimbursements to pet store consumers who purchase sick animals and increases the time frame in which an illness may be discovered by a consumer for the purpose of receiving reimbursement. The legislation also protects consumers who purchase animals with congenital defects.
Requires pet shops and commercial kennels to provide information about the origin of a dog or cat at the time of sale. In addition, the law prohibits pet shops and commercial kennels to purchase dogs or cats for resale from anyone who is not USDA licensed.
For more information or to read the bill, click here.
Indiana (H.B. 1468)
Defines "hobby breeder" as a person who maintains 20 or fewer unaltered female dogs at least 12 months of age, and defines "commercial dog breeder" as a person who maintains more than 20 unaltered female dogs at least 12 months of age. Specifies a "commercial dog broker" as a person who is licensed under federal law and sells at least 500 dogs in a calendar year.
Establishes commercial dog breeder regulations including: (1) requiring them to register with the state board of animal health and be subject to inspection; (2) establishing standards for premises where dogs are kept and conditions in which dogs are kept; (3) Breeders must provide a consumer with a copy of a dog's vaccination, medication, and treatment records at the time a consumer purchases, exchanges, or adopts the dog. (4) Breeders must keep records for each dog for 5 years. Makes it a misdemeanor to knowingly or intentionally fail to register or make material misstatements on an application. This law prohibits local governments from passing ordinances with more stringent requirements. It is not clear if this means zoning permits cannot require tougher requirements. Effective July 1, 2009
Click here for the bill text.
Maine (L.D. 964)
Kennels must provide documentation for dogs eligible for breed registration; established license categories for kennels.
(Online summary):
This amendment reduces the license fee for Category 2 and Category 3 breeding kennels. It removes the proposed revision to the definition of "seller" as it is used in the chapter governing the sale of dogs and cats by pet shops and breeding kennels. It removes the requirement that a dog or cat be examined by a veterinarian prior to sale and instead requires that records of any examinations by a veterinarian be provided to the buyer. It also removes that section of the bill that proposes revisions to the definition of "kennel" and the section authorizing the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources to revoke or suspend a license for a pet shop or breeding kennel. It also adds an appropriations and allocations section. Effective 9/12/2009
Click here for the bill text.
Nebraska ( L.B. 241)
Requires that breeders must maintain written veterinary plans; puppy lemon law added, expands kennel inspections and increases enforcement. Various effective dates
Click here for the bill history.
Click here for the bill text.
Statement of intent
Oregon (H.B. 2470)
Prohibits owning, possessing, controlling or having charge of more than 25 sexually intact dogs aged four months or older. Imposes conditions for owning, possessing, controlling or having charge of 10 or more sexually intact dogs aged four months or older. Creates exceptions. Makes violation subject to maximum penalty of six months imprisonment, $2,500 fine, or both. Imposes requirements and prohibitions on pet dealers selling, bartering or exchanging dogs. Provides customers of pet dealers with specific remedies if dogs have diseases, illnesses, adverse conditions or adverse congenital or hereditary defects. Effective 1/1/2010
Click here for the bill text.
Tennessee (S.B. 258/H.B. 386)
(1) Creates new criminal offenses regarding the commercial breeding of companion animals;
(2) Requires commercial breeders to become licensed by the commissioner of agriculture; and
(3) Specifies that certain actions by a commercial breeder would also be deemed to be a violation of the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act of 1977. Effective 1/1/2010
Click here for the bill history.
Click here for the bill text.
Washington (SB 5651)
No more than 50 breeding dogs allowed. Sets minimum standards for any facility with more than ten breeding dogs including: exercise requirements for adult dogs, stacking cages not allowed, waste must be removed daily, only dogs between the ages of twelve months and eight years of age may be used for breeding, authorizes inspections. Effective 1/1/2010
Click here for the bill history.
Click here for the bill text.