In December 2022, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law a prohibition on the sale of dogs, cats and rabbits in New York pet stores. The law will go into effect in December 2024, granting impacted businesses two years to make necessary changes to ensure they comply with the new law.
Where do pet store puppies come from?
Puppies sold in pet stores typically come from commercial breeding operations known as “puppy mills” that are designed to prioritize profit over the well-being of animals. Dogs in these facilities who are used for breeding puppies often spend their entire lives in wire crates without adequate shelter, veterinary care, food or socialization.
While puppy mills exist everywhere, they are concentrated in the Midwest. Cruel breeders rely on a pipeline of dog brokers, auctions and transporters to ship their dogs from puppy mills to pet shops throughout the nation.
Why was New York’s law changed?
This groundbreaking legislation will stop the flow of cruelly bred puppies to New York State’s pet stores by ending the retail sale of dogs, cats and rabbits across the state. By ending the sale of cruelly bred puppy mill dogs in state pet shops, New York is refusing to be an accomplice in the scheme that enables retail sellers and commercial breeders to profit from unconscionable brutality.
When does the law go into effect?
Beginning December 15, 2024, the Puppy Mill Pipeline Law will take effect, ending the sale of dogs, cats and rabbits in pet stores across New York State.
What does this mean for families looking for a pet?
This prohibition targets out-of-state puppy mills and their brokers, plus the small number of stores that still sell puppies in New York. This legislation does not impact responsible breeders who sell the dogs they breed directly to families, and it still allows pet stores to start or continue their partnerships with local animal shelters and rescue organizations to showcase homeless animals for adoption.
