As of December 2024, pet stores in upstate New York will no longer be able to sell dogs, cats and rabbits.
This is under a new law signed into law on Thursday by Gov. Kathy Hochul that aims to ban the supply of animals from so-called puppy mills.
Hochul, a Democrat, said banning the sale of pets in pet stores will help protect animal welfare and crack down on abusive farmers.
New York will join a small group of other states, including California, Illinois and Maryland, which have enacted similar sales bans. The law allows pet stores to work with animal shelters to encourage adoption, including renting space.
„Dogs, cats and rabbits all over New York deserve loving homes and humane treatmentHochul said in a statement.
Animal rights groups celebrated the signing of the law, while some pet traders have expressed fears that the law could harm legitimate businesses in the industry.
The executive president of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Matt Bershadker, spoke of a “historic victory” for animals and consumers.
„By banning the sale of cruelly bred puppies in state pet stores, New York closes the pipeline that allows retailers and commercial breeders to capitalize on ruthless brutality‘ he said in a statement.
Selmer’s Pet Land in Suffolk County on Long Island in New York warned in a Facebook post that the legislation would allow unethical breeders to thrive on the black market and make it more difficult to obtain a pet.
According to the report, the number of pet stores in the state, which has been declining, is around 80. The law would allow people to buy animals directly from breeders, the paper said.
The bill received bipartisan support in the Democratic-dominated state legislature.
