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According to the ASPCA, dogs in puppy mills are often kept in wire crates without adequate shelter, veterinary care, food or socialization.
By Forum Staff
The State Senate has voted in favor of a legislative package that aims to curb animal abuse and mistreatment of animals throughout New York.
The legislation, approved last week, includes:
Puppy Mill Sales Ban: This bill would establish a ban on the sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits by retail pet shops, creating a barrier against the puppy mill supply chain and encouraging pet shops to partner with local animal shelters to showcase animals available for adoption.
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, puppy mills are designed to prioritize profit over the well-being of the animals. Dogs in these facilities are often kept in wire crates without adequate shelter, veterinary care, food or socialization. As a result, many of them suffer severe health and behavioral issues—and families are often unprepared for the financial loss and heartbreak that come with buying a sick puppy.
Clarifies Aggravated Cruelty to Animals: This bill would eliminate the word “serious” from the “serious physical injury” language of the crime of aggravated cruelty to animals to ensure appropriate penalties when a person intends to cause extreme physical pain to an animal, even if the animal makes a full recovery.
Abandoned Animal Property Inspections: This bill would require landlords of vacated properties to inspect the property for abandoned animals within three days if they knew or should have known that the property had been vacated.
Companion Animal Consideration: This bill would require the best interest of a companion animal to be considered when awarding possession in a divorce.
“Animals are living beings deserving of compassion, respect, and protection. With so many pets available for adoption, retail stores selling animals from abusive puppy and kitten mills, are becoming obsolete,” Sen. Joe Addabbo, Jr. (D-Howard Beach). “I am proud to join my colleagues in co-sponsoring legislation to provide a voice for these defenseless animals and ensure abusers will be held accountable with appropriate penalties imposed.”
Allie Feldman Taylor, president of Voters For Animal Rights, added, “During the pandemic, the puppy mill industry has demonstrated their unscrupulous and greedy practices by preying on the emotions of consumers during this very challenging time. While animal shelters worked in partnership with local communities to find homes for thousands of homeless animals, the puppy mill industry ramped up breeding and sales operations to sell as many dogs and kittens as possible for the highest prices possible. They have proven, once again, that they have no interest in protecting animals or consumers.”
With passage in the Senate, the bill must now be approved by the Assembly, where it is currently before the Assembly Codes Committee for consideration.
“Having one of the country’s highest concentrations of pet stores that sell puppies, New York State needs to end the sale of cruelly bred puppy mill dogs in pet shops by finally passing the New York Puppy Mill Pipeline Bill,” said Matt Bershadker, ASPCA president and CEO. “Shutting down the puppy mill pipeline will help stop unscrupulous breeders from engaging in—and profiting from—unconscionable brutality.”
