On Thursday, December 15, 2022, the state of New York became the latest to prohibit the sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits in pet stores.
The new law, which will take effect in 2024, was signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul in an attempt to combat commercial breeders and protect the welfare of animals across the state. Decried by critics as “puppy mills,” commercial breeding is when a breeder seeks to maximize profit at the expense of pets who are minimally cared for.
Instead of patronizing puppy mills, the new law allows pet stores to partner with animal shelters to offer abandoned or rescued animals up for adoption.
Democratic Senator Michael Gianaris sees the new law as "a very big deal." He told the Associated Press how The Empire State is a big purchaser and profiteer of these puppy mills. In addition, Sen. Michael is also worried about the potential fact that the demands are going to be cut off at a retail level.
Furthermore, Michael added that the new law will affect all New York pet stores because commercial breeders treat animals "like commodities."
Many pet stores have argued that the new legislation can't do anything to increase their standards of care or shut down out-of-state breeders. They said it would result in dozens of pet shops remaining in The Empire State being closed.
Before being enacted state-wide, the law was already effective in a few New York towns including Mamaroneck Village, Mount Pleasant, Rye Brook, Port Chester, New Rochelle, and Riverhead.
Moreover, New York becomes the 32nd state to enact such a law, according to Best Friends. Other states that have enacted such legislation include Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
