Animal Law Digest

Missouri House Bill 2265 would prohibit dealers and pet shops from purchasing animals from unlicensed entities or entities with “multiple or repeat critical violations of state or federal law within the last three years.” It also would require pet shops to disclose the names and addresses of breeders and dealers to dog purchasers. The bill further would preempt localities from enacting ordinances that prohibit pet stores from operating as they are licensed to do. The bill has not yet been assigned to a committee.

Kentucky Senate Bill 41 would prohibit pet stores from selling dogs and cats. The bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Agriculture.

Virginia House Bill 223 would authorize courts to prohibit misdemeanor animal cruelty offenders from owning animals for up to five years and felony animal cruelty offenders from owning animals for life. Virginia law currently limits the ownership prohibition to companion animals only and to the length of the maximum statutory incarceration period. The bill was pre-filed and has not yet been referred to a committee.

Florida Senate Bill 1338 would impose requirements on pet insurance policies and pet insurers. The bill has not yet been referred to a committee.

Vermont bill H.626 would establish the Division of Animal Welfare within the Department of Public Safety to streamline the investigation and enforcement of state animal welfare laws and regulations. The bill also would establish new licensing mandates, reporting requirements, and standards for animal shelters, animal rescue organizations, and pet dealers and shops. It further would impose licensing, quarantine, inspection, reporting, and other requirements on the importation and transportation of animals into Vermont. The bill was referred to the House Committee on Agriculture, Food Resiliency, and Forestry.

Florida House Bill 1201 would require research facilities to make certain dogs and cats available for adoption when they will no longer be used in experiments. The bill also would require animal testing facilities to prepare and submit annual reports to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services regarding the numbers of animals used in different types of experiments and in total. The bill has not yet been referred to a committee.

Missouri House Bill 2163 would preempt all local, breed-specific dog orders, ordinances, policies, and regulations, making them unenforceable by localities. The bill has not yet been referred to a committee.

Virginia House Bill 221 would require the Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services to promulgate “Free-Roaming Cat Management Plan” regulations and draft a model plan for localities to ameliorate “the negative impacts of free-roaming cats on public health, wildlife, and the cat population.” The bill would exempt initial program regulations from most of the requirements of Virginia’s Administrative Process Act. The bill has been pre-filed and has not yet been assigned to a committee.

Vermont bill H.567 would prohibit the retail sale of dogs, cats, and wolf-hybrids by a pet shop unless the store “lawfully offered animals for sale prior to July 1, 2024.” The bill was referred to the House Committee on Agriculture, Food Resiliency, and Forestry.

Florida Senate Bill 1156 would impose certain requirements on owners of dogs with “dangerous propensities.” The bill was referred to the Senate Agriculture, Judiciary, and Fiscal Policy Committees.