Pet stores in New York state will soon be banned from selling dogs, cats and rabbits ban intended to prevent the sale of animals from farms that, according to animal rights groups, subject pets to inhumane conditions.
The legislation signed into law Thursday by Governor Kathy Hochul means New York will join a handful of other states, including California and Illinois, that have enacted similar bans to crack down on commercial breeders, also known as puppy or kitten mills.
By banning the sale of animals in the dwindling collection of some 80 New York pet stores, officials hope to stem the flow of animals from commercial breeders who opponents say breed animals that are often abused or sick and then sold to consumers. saddle them with unforeseen veterinary bills.
“Ending the pipeline from the puppy mill to New York State represents the triumph of compassion over evil inherent in a cruel industry that pursues profit by subjecting innocent animals to barbaric treatment,” said Councilwoman Linda Rosenthal, a Democrat who sponsored legislation in the lower chamber. .
Legislation has fueled a passionate clash in Albany between animal rights advocates and the pet supply industry, who vociferously opposed the bill, arguing that it would effectively bankrupt them. The industry argued that the ban would also lead to a series of unintended consequences that would make it harder for New Yorkers to get a pet and potentially lead to an underground pet market.
A coalition of pet shop owners – People United to Protect Pet Integrity, or PUPPI – said the blanket ban would unfairly harm responsible pet shops selling care-raised puppies, and would do little to close down commercial breeding facilities, most of which are not are more available. -of-state. The industry argued that most commercial breeders raised pets humanely, but that animal rights groups singled out bad actors, some of whom were the targets of lawsuits and investigations, to demonize the entire breeding industry.
“By ending licensed and regulated local pet stores, you remove the people who control breeders, ensure the health of newly housed pets with established veterinarians, and ensure the success of a new pet family,” said Jessica Selmer, the president of PUPPI. in a statement on Thursday after she failed to get Ms Hochul to veto the bill.
Democrats who control the state legislature in Albany passed the bill in June with rare bipartisan support, but it had remained unclear whether Ms. Hochul, a fellow Democrat, would sign the bill.
After days of behind-closed-door negotiations this month, the governor finally agreed to support the bill, albeit with some changes designed to counteract the economic blow to pet stores, famous for their attractive window displays of puppies that sold for thousands of dollars. , to soften.
For example, implementation of the ban was delayed until December 2024. The revised legislation would also allow pet stores to charge rent from animal shelters that use pet stores as a space to host rescued animal adoption events.
People would still be allowed to purchase the animals directly from breeders, an effort to allow potential pet owners to visit and purchase responsible breeders. But part of the intent of the legislation is to encourage people to adopt pets from shelters and rescue organizations, which say they are overflowing with dogs, especially many of those abandoned by people seeking pets during the pandemic.
“These animals are living, loving creatures that should be treated with respect, not like a can of soup plucked off a shelf,” said Senator Michael Gianaris, a Queens Democrat who sponsored the legislation. “This law will save countless animals from mistreatment at the hands of horrible puppy mills and I am thrilled that it is now being passed.”