The Maryland Senate Finance Committee has scheduled a hearing for Thursday, March 29, which will prohibit retail pet stores (defined as any “for profit establishment open to the public that sells or offers for sale domestic animals to be kept as pets”) from selling any dogs or cats. Instead, they would only be allowed to “showcase” animals available for adoption from an animal welfare organization or animal control unit.
House Bill 1662 would remove current requirements that protect the health and welfare of dogs and enable consumers to know the health and background of the animal prior to sale.
Read AKC’s previous alert for more information and talking points.
Those who reside or sell dogs in Maryland are strongly encouraged to do the following:
- Attend the hearing on Thursday, March 29 and express your concerns with HB 1662:
Senate Finance Committee
Thursday, March 29, 2018
1:00 pm
3 East Miller Senate Building, 11 Bladen Street, Annapolis
*You must sign the witness register no later than 12:30 pm, and if you have written testimony, 25 copies must be submitted to committee staff no later than noon. - Contact the committee members and express your opposition to House Bill 1662 as currently written: Thomas Middleton, Chair
Phone: 301-932-0909
Email form
thomas.mclain.middleton@senate.state.md.usSen. John Astle, Vice Chair
Phone: 410-841-3578, 301-858-3578, or Toll-free in MD: 1-800-492-7122 ext. 3578
Email form
john.astle@senate.state.md.usSen. Joanne Benson
Phone: 410-841-3148, 301-858-3148, or Toll-free in MD: 1-800-492-7122 ext. 3148
Email form
joanne.benson@senate.state.md.usSen. Brian Feldman
Phone: 410-841-3169 or 301-858-3169
Email form
brian.feldman@senate.state.md.usSen. Stephen Hershey, Jr.
Phone: 410-841-3639 or 301-858-3639
Email form
steve.hershey@senate.state.md.usSen. J. B. Jennings
Phone: 410-841-3706, 301-858-3706, or Toll-free in MD: 1-800-492-7122 ext. 3706
Email form
jb.jennings@senate.state.md.usSen. Katherine Klausmeier
Phone: 410-841-3620, 301-858-3620, or Toll-free in MD: 1-800-492-7122 ext. 3620
Email form
katherine.klausmeier@senate.state.md.usSen. James Mathias, Jr.
Phone: 410-841-3645, 301-858-3645, or Toll-free in MD: 1-800-492-7122 ext. 3645
Email form
james.mathias@senate.state.md.usSen. Edward Reilly
Phone: 410-841-3568, 301-858-3568, or Toll-free in MD: 1-800-492-7122 ext. 3568
Email form
edward.reilly@senate.state.md.usSen. Jim Rosapepe
Phone: 410-841-3141, 301-858-3141, or Toll-free in MD: 1-800-492-7122 ext. 3141
Email form
jim.rosapepe@senate.state.md.us
For more information on this bill, contact AKC’s Government Relations Department at doglaw@akc.org.