Colorado Just Banned Pet Store Dog And Cat Sales

Colorado has become the latest state to ban the sale of dogs and cats in pet stores, with Governor Jared Polis signing the measure into law and declaring that Colorado is going to help shut down the puppy mill pipeline. The new law, nicknamed the Pistol the Pomeranian Protection Act after the bill sponsor's own puppy mill survivor, prohibits pet stores from selling, leasing, auctioning, or otherwise transferring ownership of dogs or cats beginning January 1, 2028, while still allowing animal shelters and rescues to use pet store space for adoption events at no charge. Responsible breeders may continue to sell directly to consumers, and exceptions exist for service animals, law enforcement dogs, and hunting animals. Colorado now joins California, New York, Maryland, Illinois, and more than a dozen other states with similar restrictions in effect.

The bill's sponsor said she spent eight years working to pass it, describing it as a bill she was told repeatedly would never happen. The governor pointed to families who paid hundreds of dollars for store-bought puppies that arrived sick or with hidden health conditions, calling the law a long-overdue protection for both animals and consumers. The ASPCA praised the measure as one that supports responsible breeders while shutting down the pipeline from large-scale commercial operations. The five adoptable puppies who attended the signing ceremony and were named after Bridgerton characters appeared entirely unbothered by the occasion.

Source:https://people.com/new-state-bans-dog-cat-sales-in-pet-stores-11962941