New York has banned the sale of cats, dogs, and rabbits in retail pet stores, making it the latest state to do so amid attempts to stop commercial breeders from operating so-called “puppy mills.”
The legislation (pdf), known as the Puppy Mill Pipeline bill, was signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul on Dec. 15 and will go into effect in December 2024.
Specifically, it prevents stores from selling the pets but allows them instead to work with animal rescue organizations to provide space in their stores for animals available for adoption. It will also ban pet breeders from selling more than nine animals a year….