July 29, 2009
Legislative Victory: CT Passes Pet Store-Related Bill
Earlier this month, Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell signed into law Senate Bill 499, legislation spearheaded by the ASPCA and Connecticut Votes for Animals (CVA). The new law will help shoppers make more educated decisions when purchasing a pet by requiring all retail pet shops in the state of Connecticut to disclose where the puppies they sell came from. Each dog’s “certificate of origin” must be posted openly (no more than 10 feet from his enclosure)—and, when a puppy is sold, a copy of his certificate must be given to his purchasers. Pet stores are also responsible for guaranteeing that their out-of-state animal suppliers are licensed by the USDA and appropriate state agencies. Violations of these measures can result in fines and jail time.
“This bill ensures accountability from both pet stores and the animal breeders that sell to them,” says Debora Bresch, ASPCA Legislative Liaison to Connecticut. “Sadly, puppies sold at pet stores are usually from puppy mills.” A puppy mill is a commercial breeding enterprise where dogs are mass-produced for profit without concern for their health or welfare. With your help, the ASPCA is working tirelessly to pass legislation in every state to ensure that all animals bred to be pets are raised in healthy conditions.
For more information about Connecticut's victory for animals, please read our press release. And a special thanks to Connecticut members of the ASPCA Advocacy Brigade, who worked hard for this legislative victory, calling and emailing their legislators on the bill’s behalf since February.
Want to have a hand in passing pro-animal legislation in your state? Join the ASPCA Advocacy Brigade!
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