"Please help us save the dogs"

Legislative Updates

  Thirty-seven state legislatures and the District of Columbia are in regular session. Nearly 1,100 state bills have been proposed. For the latest information on state and federal bills, you should contact your state and congressional elected officials.

  California – Senate Bill 969 will require pet groomers, defined as "an individual, licensed as a pet groomer, who bathes, brushes, clips, or styles a pet for compensation," to be licensed and regulated by the California Veterinary Medical Board. The measure has not yet been assigned to committee.

  Florida – Current Florida state law prohibits local governments from enacting breed-specific legislation. However, when the law was adopted it provided an exemption for communities that enacted breed bans prior to 1990.  House Bill 997 (companion bill SB1322), would remove that exemption and end breed-based discrimination for all dogs in Florida. 

 

Nebraska – More Changes have been proposed to an amended version of Legislative Bill 427, a bill that seeks to further regulate “commercial dog breeders,” defined in current law as anyone "engaged in the business of breeding dogs" and who owns or harbors four or more intact dogs or cats, sells at least 31 dogs and cats per year, owns dogs/cats that produce four or more litters per year, or who knowingly sells or leases dogs/cats for later retail sale or brokered trade. Due to this low threshold in current law, LB 427 would require anyone who owns four intact dogs of any age to comply with the same strict engineering requirements and other standards as large, commercial facilities. The bill is pending in the Legislative Agriculture Committee. 

 

New Hampshire – Senate Bill 370 seeks to impose ownership limits and other restrictions on responsible dog breeders and owners. If enacted, the bill would: limit any person from owning more than 50 intact dogs over the age of six months; require any person having more than 10 female dogs covered by the statute to provide specific care and conditions requirements (including limits on the frequency of breeding a female); mandate that tail docking be done by a licensed veterinarian and with anesthesia; and authorize any duly-appointed agent of a humane society, SPCA incorporated in New Hampshire, or animal control officer to investigate possible violations of this measure. The bill was considered by the Senate Executive Departments and Administrative Committee Jan. 19, but no official decision has been made. 

 

New Mexico – A New Mexico senator had sought to introduce legislation for 2012 that would have declared all “pit bulls” dangerous, unless they were American Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers or American pit bull terriers registered with the American Kennel Club or United Kennel Club. Since the New Mexico Legislature has a short 30-day session in 2012, special permission was required by the Governor for the bill to be introduced.  The Governor agreed to not allow this legislation to be introduced in the 2012 session. 

 

New York – Assembly Bill 259/Senate Bill 3806 would amend the laws regarding the care of animals that have been seized and are being cared for during animal cruelty hearings. Among other provisions, it would allow the burden of proof for violations to fall to the organization that impounded the animals if they request it, rather than the District Attorney.  A. 259 has passed the Assembly, and both this bill and the companion bill (S. 3806) are pending in the Senate Agriculture Committee.

  Senate Bill 946 revises the definition of “property” in the state’s penal code to include pets. It also expands the penalty of grand larceny in the fourth degree to include pet theft. 

 

Ohio – House Bill 14 removes the term "pit bull" from the state's definition of "vicious dog" and creates new designations of “nuisance” and “dangerous” based on a dog’s behavior. The term "pit bull" is not defined in current law, but owners of dogs considered to be of this breed must comply with numerous requirements. The bill overwhelmingly passed the House of Representatives in June, and unanimously passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on Jan. 10. 

  Senate Bill 130 seeks to regulate “high volume” dog breeding in Ohio, defined as those who produce at least 9 litters of puppies and sell 60 or more dogs in a calendar year. While numerous amendments were made in 2010 to a previous version of this bill, many concerns remain including a definition of “kennel” that could be interpreted to mean any owner of an intact dog and burdensome standards for “high volume breeders.” These standards include concerns such as basing enclosure requirements on a dog’s weight, rather than height or length and arbitrary temperature mandates for kennels that do not account for the needs and tolerances of various breeds. Numerous hearings have been conducted by the Senate Agriculture, Environment & Natural Resources Committee, but no vote has yet been taken.  

 

Oklahoma – The Oklahoma State Commercial Pet Breeders Board accepted written comments through Jan. 17 on proposed changes to the administrative rules pertaining to those deemed commercial breeders in the state (anyone who owns 11 or more intact female dogs or cats over the age of 6 months "for the use of breeding..."). A public hearing on the proposed changes was held on Jan. 17.

 

Texas – The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) has until March 31, to draft new dog breeder regulations that will accompany the implementation of HB1451, the breeder regulation bill that passed during the 2011 legislative session. A Licensed Breeders Advisory Committee has been formed. There are two breeder representatives on the committee, but because the statute requires that they be "licensed breeders," they will not be able to vote. The first public draft of the proposed regulations has been published and is open for public comment.  Affected breeders will have until Sept. 1,  to come into compliance with the regulations and obtain a license.

 

Virginia – House Bill 158 would add debarking to the state’s definition of animal cruelty and charge anyone who performs the practice with a Class 1 misdemeanor. The bill was heard in the Agriculture Subcommittee of the House Agriculture Chesapeake and Natural Resources Committee on Jan. 23. 

 

West Virginia – House Bill 2015 would require a license for all “commercial dog breeders,” defined as anyone who owns at least 20 intact dogs over one year of age and is engaged in the business of breeding animals for sale. Those who have a registered greyhound kennel with the West Virginia Racing Commission are exempt. Female dogs may only be bred if they are between 18 months and 8 years of age, and there is a 50-dog ownership limit. Inspections would occur twice annually, and inspectors must give five days’ notice prior to the inspection. A similar bill passed the House in 2011, but was held in the Senate Judiciary Committee. House Bill 2015 has been assigned to the House Agriculture Committee.

  U.S. Congress – HR 835/S 707, known as the “Puppy Uniform Protection & Safety Act” (PUPS), would require anyone who owns or co-owns intact female dogs that produce 50 or more puppies that are sold in a 12-month period to be regulated under USDA as commercial dog dealers. Anyone meeting that criteria would be required to obtain an annual USDA license, maintain federal standards of care for commercial dealers, and undergo regular inspections at least biennially. The language in this bill is identical to the 2010 PUPS bill.  The bills have been assigned to their chamber’s agriculture committees. Neither bill has been scheduled for a hearing.

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