On Tuesday, February 17, at 1:30 pm, the Arizona Senate Natural Resources Committee will consider Senate Bill 1539 and Senate Bill 1675, both of which impact dog breeders.
Those who wish to comment may do so by using the contact information listed below.
SB 1539 — Animal Breeders; Dogs; Cats; Taxes
This bill imposes arbitrary, one-size-fits-all mandates on animal breeders that would harm responsible breeding practices without meaningfully addressing animal welfare concerns. The bill defines a “hobby breeder” as anyone producing two or more litters per year, which would inappropriately subject small-scale, home-based breeders to burdensome commercial regulations.
The bill requires veterinary inspection certificates before each sale, creating unnecessary administrative burdens and costs that will be passed to consumers, making dog ownership less accessible to Arizona families. The requirement references maintaining conditions “as prescribed in Section 44-1799.04,” which addresses pet dealers and commercial operations, not home breeders. Applying commercial facility standards to hobby breeders in residential settings is neither appropriate nor practical.
AKC opposes SB 1539 because it would subject responsible breeders to inappropriate commercial regulations based on arbitrary numerical thresholds rather than actual breeding practices, while doing little to target actual problem breeders who already operate outside the law.
SB 1675 — Unlawful Sale; Animals
While this bill appears to address concerns about roadside animal sales, its overly broad language would criminalize legitimate activities by responsible breeders and dog owners. The bill’s prohibition on “selling, marketing, offering, bartering, giving away, displaying, advertising for sale or advertising for adoption” an animal is extraordinarily broad and could ensnare well-intentioned breeders.
The bill expands coverage from counties with 800,000 residents to those with 500,000 residents, significantly broadening its geographic reach. More troubling, it escalates penalties from a civil fine to criminal misdemeanor charges, with potential jail time for repeat offenses. This is a grossly disproportionate response that could criminalize responsible breeders who meet in public places for prearranged sales, participate in agricultural fairs not explicitly covered by exemptions, or attend community gatherings where they might discuss available puppies.
AKC opposes SB 1675 because it takes a sledgehammer approach when a scalpel is needed, potentially criminalizing everyday activities of responsible dog breeders and owners. Legitimate concerns about unscrupulous roadside sellers are already addressed by existing animal cruelty statutes, consumer protection laws, and local ordinances.
How to contact the committee:
These bills will be considered by the Senate Committee on Natural Resources on Tuesday, February 17, at 1:30 pm. To contact the committee prior to the hearing, use the following contact information. If you are a constituent, be sure to mention that when contacting the members:
Sen. T.J. Shope, Chair (Dist. 16) (602)-926-3012; tshope@azleg.gov
Sen. Timothy “Tim” Dunn, Vice-Chair (Dist. 25) (602) 926-4139; tdunn@azleg.gov
Sen. Rosanna Gabaldon (Dist. 21) (602) 926-3424; rgabaldon@azleg.gov
Sen. Theresa Hatahlie (Dist. 06) (602) 926-5160; thatathlie@azleg.gov
Sen. Frank Carroll (Dist. 28) (602)-926-3249; fcarroll@azleg.gov
Sen. David Gowan (Dist. 19) (602) 926-5154; dgowan@azleg.gov
Sen. Priya Sundareshan (Dist. 18) (602) 926-3437; psundareshan@azleg.gov
Sen. Janae Shamp (Dist. 29) (602) 926-3499; jshamp@azleg.gov
AKC Government Relations (AKC GR) will provide updates as they are available. For more information, contact AKC GR at doglaw@akc.org.