The 29-18 vote was close for a chamber that generally has bigger margins.
Ordinances in neighborhoods like Crown Point and Columbus avoid family pet stores in those towns from selling dogs, and often other animals, sourced from breeders and brokers. Instead, family pet shops can just work together with animal care or rescue companies to reveal adoptable cats and dogs.
“If the pet store meets or exceeds these standards, their business is protected from local regulations,” said author Sen. Blake Doriot, R-Goshen. He’s kept that the costs would still let neighborhoods punish violent puppy mills while releasing certified sellers to do business.
Bill gets pushback
But other legislators said Senate Bill 134 still goes too far. It’s retroactive to Jan. 1, 2023, so that it would revoke any regional restrictions handed down or after that day.
The costs would initially have actually worked at the start of 2024, however Doriot said that when the draft was public, neighborhoods “rushed in to ban the sale of dogs, thereby restricting free commerce.” The due date was rather bumped up however still grandpas prohibits embraced earlier.
A proposal prohibiting dog, cat and bunny sales — presented simply this month — is making its method through the Indianapolis City-County Council, for instance.
“This bill preempts local control and interferes with market economics,” said Sen. Fady Qaddoura, D-Indianapolis. “… In this instance, the market is working. Communities that like to have these pets for sale from puppy mills, they’re doing it. And communities that do not like it, it has been banned.”
The costs would present brand-new quality requirements for family pet shops to fulfill — if not, regional regulations passed even after the cutoff would still use.
A pet store would need to source from dog brokers and breeders that are:
- Registered with Indiana’s Board of Animal Health;
- Certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture with a tidy record for a minimum of 2 years;
- Certified by a nationwide “science-based” breeder requirements program; and
- Audited by an independent company following particular global requirements.
A pet store would likewise need to inform consumers complete, fee-inclusive costs, details on vaccinations and other medical treatments, breeder or broker details and other basic details on dogs for sale.
And an animal store would need to pay up for customers who unconsciously purchase ill or passing away dogs. Customers might return the dogs for complete refunds, exchange them, or get repayment for medical costs.
Not enough
Some challengers desired more.
“I have received multiple calls from constituents, animal rights activists, that have extreme concern about the lack of safeguards in this bill on … ensuring health and safety for animals,” Sen. Eddie Melton, D-Gary, said.
Multiple supporters affirmed in committee that shelters are overruning with adoptable dogs.
But Jean Leising, R-Oldenburg, said the costs has to do with “choice,” including that individuals who would like to know dogs’ histories or desire particular types might live too far from breeders.
“Give Grandma a choice.” she said. “Because grandma might not be able to travel all the way down here … to select that little puppy that she always wanted.”
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