May 16, 2019
Four bills have been introduced in New York which will prohibit retail pet stores from selling any dogs or cats. Instead, they would only be allowed to “showcase” animals available for adoption from a shelter, rescue, or adoption agency.
Current law requires that pet dealers (defined in part as anyone who sells more than 9 dogs a year that are not bred and raised on their property) must comply with extensive consumer protection laws.
The proposed bills all specifically remove retail pet stores from the definition of “pet dealer. As such, they are removed from the requirements that protect the health and welfare of dogs and enable consumers to know the health and background of the animal prior to sale. In addition, even though the bill allows animals to be “showcased” that are available for adoption, it is not immediately clear if background information or information on the shelter or rescue is required.
Session will be wrapping up in the next few weeks, and it is very possible these bills will move quickly. New York residents are strongly encouraged to contact the committees where these bills are currently assigned, as well as your State Senator and Assemblymember, today, and ask them to not allow these bills to advance. Scroll down for committee contact information.
Talking Points Against A. 6298/A. 6299/S. 593/S. 4234:
- Although these bills are being touted as the ultimate solution to ending the problem of bad breeders, fewer than 4 percent of pets purchased in the US come from pet shops. These bills will do little to address any issues associated with substandard breeders; however, they dramatically harm the option to choose a professionally- bred purpose-bred dog.
- These bills harm responsible pet breeders and retailers who are regulated under federal and state laws, while encouraging the sale of pets that come from unlicensed and unregulated sources that are not subject to federal animal welfare or New York consumer protection laws.
- These bills will ban the sale of pets from known, regulated and inspected sources, and restrict pet shops to only sell pets from unregulated sources (i.e., shelters, rescues, and other similar organizations).
- These bills will reduce the average person’s access and ability to choose a pet with the predictable type, mandated care, and substantiated health background that comes with purebred pets from regulated sources. Individuals who lack the resources or do not have access to private hobby breeders will be the most directly impacted.
- These bills would not allow the sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits at pet stores. This will prove economically disastrous for these businesses and the people who are employed by them.
For additional talking points, read AKC’s position statement on Pet Choice, and the article Why Pet Shop Laws Affect You
What You Can Do:
- Contact your State Senator and Assemblyperson. Respectfully ask them to not support the retail pet store bans (Assembly Bills 6298 and 6299, and Senate Bills 593 and 4234). Visit the AKC Legislative Action Center and type your address in the “Find Your Elected Officials” box to find the contact information for your state lawmakers.
- Contact the Senate Domestic Animal Welfare Committee. Respectfully ask the members to not support Senate Bills 593 or 4234. If you are a constituent, please mention that when contacting them.Monica R. Martinez, Chair (Hauppauge)
District Office: (631) 360-3356
Albany Office: (518) 455-2950
Email: martinez@nysenate.gov
Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. (Howard Beach)
District Office: (718) 738-1111
Albany Office: (518) 455-2322
Email: addabbo@nysenate.gov
Phil Boyle (Bay Shore)
District Office: (631) 665-2311
Albany Office: (518) 455-3411
Email: pboyle@nysenate.gov
Pete Harckham (Carmel)
District Office: (845) 225-3025
Albany Office: (518) 455-2340
Email: harckham@nysenate.gov
Jen Metzger (Middletown)
District Office: (845) 344-3311
Albany Office: (518) 455-2400
Email: metzger@nysenate.gov
Zellnor Myrie (Brooklyn)
District Office: 718-284-4700
Albany Office: 518-455-2410
Email: myrie@nysenate.gov
James Tedisco (Clifton Park)
District Office: 518-885-1829
Albany Office: 518-455-2181
Email: tedisco@nysenate.gov
- Contact the Assembly Agriculture Committee. Respectfully ask the members to not support Assembly Bills 6298 and 6299. If you are a constituent, please mention that when contacting them.
Donna A. Lupardo, Chair (Binghamton)
District Office: 607-723-9047
Albany Office: 518-455-5431
Email: LupardoD@nyassembly.gov
Didi Barrett (Poughkeepsie)
District Office: 845-454-1703
Albany Office: 518-455-5177
barrettd@nyassembly.gov
Ken Blankenbush (Carthage)
District Office: 315-493-3909
Albany Office: 518-455-5797
Email: blankenbushk@nyassembly.gov
Marianne Buttenschon (Utica)
District Office: 315-732-1055
Albany Office: 518-455-5454
Email: buttenschonm@nyassembly.gov
Clifford W. Crouch (Binghamton)
District Office: 607-648-6080
Albany Office: 518-455-5741
Email: CrouchC@nyassembly.gov
Erik Dilan (Brooklyn)
District Office: 718-386-4576
Albany Office: 518-455-5821
Email: DilanE@nyassembly.gov
Harvey Epstein (Manhattan)
District Office: 212-979-9696
Albany Office: 518-455-5506
Email: epsteinh@nyassembly.gov
Gary D. Finch (Auburn)
District Office: 315-255-3045
Albany Office: 518-455-5878
Email: FinchG@nyassembly.gov
Michael J. Fitzpatrick (Smithton)
District Office: 631-724-2929
Albany Office: 518-455-5021
Email: FitzpatrickM@nyassembly.gov
Aileen M. Gunther (Monticello/Middletown)
Monticello District Office: 845-794-5807
Middletown District Office: 845-342-9304
Albany Office: 518-455-5355
Email: GuntheA@nyassembly.gov
Stephen Hawley (Albion)
District Office: 585-589-5780
Albany Office: 518-455-3791
Email: HawleyS@nyassembly.gov
Billy Jones (Plattsburgh)
District Office: 518-562-1986
Albany Office: 518-455-5943
Email: jonesb@nyassembly.gov
Barbara Lifton
District Office: 607-277-8030
Albany Office: 518-455-5444
Email: LiftonB@nyassembly.gov
Brian D. Miller (New Hartford, Wallkill)
New Hartford District Office: 315-736-3879
Wallkill District Office: 845-895-1080
Albany Office: 518-455-5334
Email: millerb@nyassembly.gov
Walter T. Mosley (Brooklyn)
District Office: 718-596-0100
Albany Office: 518-455-5325
Email: MosleyW@nyassembly.gov
Jose Rivera (Bronx)
District Office: 718-933-2204
Albany Office: 518-455-5414
Email: RiveraJ@nyassembly.gov
Linda Rosenthal (Manhattan)- Bill sponsor
District Office: 212-873-6368
Albany Office: 518-455-5802
Email: RosentL@nyassembly.gov
Angelo Santabarbara (Amsterdam and Schenectady)
Amsterdam District Office: 518-843-0227
Schenectady District Office: 518-382-2941
Albany Office: 518-455-5197
Email: SantabarbaraA@nyassembly.gov
Al Stirpe (North Syracuse)
District Office: 315-452-1115
Albany Office: 518-455-4505
Email: StirpeA@nyassembly.gov
Jaime R. Williams (Brooklyn)
District Office: 718-252-2124
Albany Office: 518-455-5211
Email: williamsja@nyassembly.gov
Carrie Woerner (Saratoga Springs)
District Office: 518-584-5493
Albany Office: 518-455-5404
Email: woernerc@nyassembly.gov
For more information on these bills, contact AKC’s Government Relations Department at doglaw@akc.org.