I apologize for the title, which is somewhat misleading, but titles are hard. A2982 is a bill introduced into the Assembly by member Barnwell. There is no like Senate bill.
I have often thought to myself that the animal rights activists are of two camps: the one that thinks people should not own animals at all, and the other that thinks it might be okay as long as the animals are rescue animals. Assembly Bill 2982 should greatly please this latter camp because under it pet dealers would not be allowed to “display, sell, deliver, offer for sale, barter, auction, give away, broker or otherwise transfer or dispose of an animal unless it is obtained from: (a) a shelter; (b)…”
(b) and (c) are a couple of other rescue options.
The term “pet dealer” includes pet stores, but except as noted, it also includes anyone who sells more than nine (9) animals per year. The exception is a breeder selling fewer than 25 animals per year born and raised on his/her residential premises, and no other animal, is not to be considered a “pet dealer,” because of those sales.
Forecasting the effect of any law is difficult, but here goes. The legislation would seem to eliminate pet stores and high volume breeders in the State. That would probably make it easier for responsible local breeders to sell their purebred animals for better prices. I think it would also increase the demand online, at the local shelters, and with the high volume rescuers for purebred animals. These needs likely would be largely filled by out of state breeders and puppy farms. It would also affect registrations with AKC and thereby increase costs to breeders for registration fees, etc.
As long as the definition of pet dealer remains the same as it currently is, I don’t think that the bill is a direct threat to most responsible hobby breeders except perhaps those caught up by the on-premises birth/raise requirement. It might even be a good thing for some.