New York (Suffolk County) Pet Sale Ban Ordinance Heard. A proposed ordinance to ban the retail sale of puppies in the county was heard by the County Legislature on June 21^st. Further action on the measure is expected at the August 2^nd meeting of the County Legislature. PIJAC provided comments on the proposal, including the fact that it violates state law controlling regulation of pet dealers. Indications are that members of the County Legislature intend to move forward with the ordinance regardless. Click here to read PIJAC’s recent PetAlert on this issue. Click here to read a local news article mentioning PIJAC’s efforts on this issue.

San Francisco, CA Pet Sale Ban Proposal Draws Major Media Attention. A resolution recommending an ordinance banning the retail sale of pets in San Francisco was adopted at the June 9th meeting of the San Francisco Animal Control & Welfare Commission.  The Commission, which is only an advisory body, will forward its recommendation to the Board of Supervisors for future action. Unlike the handful of other local pet bans proposed in the United States (primarily in western states), which typically cover only certain species, this initiative seeks a prohibition against the sale of all pet animals. As a result, the proposal has garnered significant media attention. Click here to listen to a KQED Radio interview featuring Michael Maddox (PIJAC’s Vice President of Governmental Affairs) and Philip Gerrie, the Commissioner responsible for originally proposing the ban. Read PIJAC’s latest PetAlert on the ban for more details on this issue. Click here to read a Los Angeles Times article concerning the proposed ban.

Texas Governor Signs Breeder Bill. Texas Governor Rick Perry allowed the clock to tick down before finally signing the “Dog or Cat Breeders Act,” which will mandate licensure for many breeders in the state. Waiting until the final weekend for action, Governor Perry endorsed the measure, along with a number of other bills, notwithstanding broad opposition in the state. Because House Bill 1451 carried an emergency clause, and the necessary two-thirds vote of each house was achieved, the law technically becomes effective immediately. However, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation reports that actual licensing will not begin taking place until 2012. Implementing regulations will be forthcoming, and PIJAC will issue a new PetAlert recommending appropriate action in the rulemaking phase.

 

California. **SET FOR COMMITTEE HEARING** Assembly Bill 1121 provides for pet dealers and breeders to provide monthly reports to localities on all dogs they transfer during the reporting period. As introduced, the bill would mandate that the information be provided. PIJAC secured an amendment to make the reporting permissive (each locality would decide whether to participate), however the bill has been amended yet again to eliminate the PIJAC revision, thereby creating a state-wide mandate on all localities. AB 1121 would also create a “puppy license” for dogs up to one year old, supplementing the existing licensing requirement. The bill provides specific licensing terms for both the new puppy licenses and the existing dog licenses. The bill is set to be heard before the Senate Business, Professions & Economic Development Committee on July 6^th (Room 3191, 1:30 p.m.). Click here to read PIJAC’s latest PetAlert on this legislation.

 

Michigan (Ypsilanti Township). **PROPOSED ORDINANCE SET FOR FINAL VOTE** A proposed ordinance, regulating backyard dog breeders in Ypsilanti Township, Michigan is set for a final vote on July 19^th. The proposal, which had its first reading before the Ypsilanti Board of Trustees on June 21^st, provides for breeder licensing requirements, limits number of litters per year and restricts certain dog sales. The ordinance also completely bans the breeding of “pit bulls”. Click here to read PIJAC’s PetAlert on this proposal. 

 

Michigan (City of Saginaw). **ORDINANCE ADOPTED** An ordinance amending the “Dangerous Dog” Chapter of the Saginaw City Code, requiring pet owners to register certain dog breeds (“Pit Bulls”, Rottweilers, German Shepards, Bull Mastiffs and Presa Canarios) was adopted by the City Council on June 20^th. The ordinance limits the number of dogs per household to three (3) and sets restrictions on tethering. Click here to read PIJAC’s PetAlert on this issue.

 

Rhode Island. **SET ASIDE FOR FURTHER STUDY**   House Bill 5690 provides guidelines and penalties for any person keeping a dog outside tethered, penned, caged, fenced or otherwise confined without adequate shelter from the elements. The bill also grants the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals authority to examine and enter property where dogs are tethered outdoors. The House Judiciary Committee heard HB 5690 on June 21^stand decided to set the bill aside for further study. Read PIJAC’s original PetAlert on this bill’s companion (Senate Bill 140) for more details.

California. **PASSED COMMITTEE**   California Senate Bill 917 would make it a crime to sell, display, offer for sale, or offer to give away live animals on any street, highway, public right-of-way, parking lot, carnival, or boardwalk. The bill provides exemptions for cat shows, dog shows, bird shows, and pet stores. SB 917 was passed by the Assembly Committee on Public Safety on June 22^nd and was referred to the Assembly Committee on Appropriations, where it awaits further action.

 

California (Glendale). **MOTION TO DRAFT ORDINANCE PASSED** The Glendale, California City Council voted unanimously at its June 14^th meeting to draft an ordinance which would ban the retail sale of commercially bred dogs and cats in the city. The Council will vote again on the adoption of the ordinance once language is drafted. A date for that vote has yet to be determined. Click here to read PIJAC’s PetAlert on this proposed ordinance.

 

Connecticut. **PASSED BY GENERAL ASSEMBLY** House Bill 5368 requires registration as an “animal importer” in order to bring dogs and cats into the state for the purposes of “sale, adoption or transfer to a third party.” The focus of the bill was on imports by unregulated entities, but as originally introduced it would have encompassed pet stores as well. PIJAC’s amendments to the bill assure that pet stores, which are already well regulated by the Department, will be exempt from the registration requirement. The bill became law without the Governor’s signature on June 28^th. Click here to read PIJAC’s PetAlert on this issue. 

Ohio (Euclid). ** PROPOSED ORDINANCE TABLED BY SPONSOR** An ordinance proposing to set new licensing requirements for pet shops and pet traders, such as mandatory spay/neuter, mandatory microchipping, warranty expectation, and a restriction to only sell animals from certain breeders, was tabled by the Euclid City Council at its June 20^th meeting. The sponsor could amend and reintroduce the proposal at a later date, so check the Breaking News page of the PIJAC website often for updates. Click here to read PIJAC’s PetAlert on this ordinance proposal.

 

Texas. ** SIGNED BY GOVERNOR** Senate Bill 1480 provides that a person may not import, possess, sell, or place into the public water of Texas an exotic harmful or potentially harmful aquatic plant, except as authorized by commission rule or by permit. The bill also provides that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality by rule shall adopt a list of exotic aquatic plants that may not be imported into or possessed in Texas without a permit. Governor Perry signed SB 1480 into law on June 17^th. 

To date this session, PIJAC has screened more than 8,000 pet industry-related bills, ordinances, and regulatory proposals, and is actively tracking more than 1,100. Louisiana adjourned its 2011 session on June 23^rd. Delaware, Iowa, Maine, New Hampshire, Oregon, and Rhode Island are scheduled to adjourn in the next two weeks. This leaves 15 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Congress in session. Click here to view a 2011 State Legislature Session Calendar to see when your state adjourns.

 

PIJAC membership is open to all segments of the pet industry, as well as individual pet enthusiasts. Pet-related businesses, please visit the PIJAC website for membership information: www.pijac.org or contact Nancy Knutson, Director of Member Services: members@pijac.org.

 

PIJAC E-News is copyrighted by the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Counsel. PIJAC is currently granting permission to further transmit this newsletter to interested parties in whole or part provided that: 1) the PIJAC copyright is referenced, 2) full attribution is given to PIJAC, and 3) the wording is conveyed in exactly the manner that it was provided by PIJAC. PIJAC reserves the right to change its reproduction/transmission policy at any time.