Update: Unfortunately, this bill did not receive the required votes in the Senate. As a result, the bill will not move forward this year.
Bill Description: If passed, this bill would prevent a license from being issued or renewed to “commercial kennels” that sell 20 or more litters of puppies annually or that sell 100 or more puppies annually.
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This bill helps to prevent animal suffering. Puppies sold at pet stores — like other animals sold at pet stores — often are bred at puppy mills. These “mills” are facilities at which animals are mass produced and then transferred to commercial venues for re-sale. Because profits are tied to the number of animals produced, these breeding facilities sometimes increase profits by restricting the amount of space offered to each animal, providing limited or no access to veterinary care, and offering minimal opportunities for socialization and individual attention. Restricting the volume of dogs sold at pet stores will be one step toward helping the animals in this commercial chain to receive more individual care. And healthy, well-socialized animals make better companions and tend to stay with their human families for longer periods of time, thereby benefiting the families, ensuring animal welfare, and reducing the pressure on animal control agencies, animal rescue organizations, and animal shelters.