New York lawmakers have placed a ban on the sale of dogs, cats and rabbits in pet stores.
The new law, which was signed by Governor Kathy Hochul last week, is in an attempt to diminish commercial breeding operations often referred to as puppy mills. The law also bans breeders from selling more than nine animals a year.
“This is a very big deal”, says Senator Michael Gianaris. “New York tends to be a big purchaser and profiteer of these mills, and we are trying to cut off the demand at a retail level.”
Senator Gianaris says that puppy mills treat the animals “like commodities”, noting that “there is no pet store not affected.”
By passing this law, New York is following the lead of California, which was the first state to make the move back in 2017. Maryland and Illinois have since followed suit.
The new law will not affect at-home breeders who sell animals born and raised on their property.
