No. CS/SB 1356
Filed under Criminal Justice.
Handling of Animals; Requiring the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to develop and adopt rules, best management practices, and other measures for dog breeding in this state; deleting a limit on veterinary costs under certain provisions; specifying requirements for retail stores that offer animals for sale; requiring dog breeders to apply to the Department of Business and Professional Regulation for a certificate of registration and to renew the certificate at specified intervals, etc.
Plain English Summary
AI-GENERATEDDog breeders selling more than two litters annually must register with the Department of Business and Professional Regulation and renew every two years. This creates a new licensing requirement for commercial breeders.
Retail stores selling animals must first offer local animal shelters the opportunity to inventory their available animals for adoption before renting space to a dog breeder. This prioritizes shelter adoptions over commercial sales.
Pet dealers must disclose all financing terms and impose a three-day waiting period before a consumer can take possession of a financed animal. This prevents immediate possession upon signing a financing agreement.
The bill removes the cap on veterinary cost reimbursement for consumers who find a purchased animal unfit. Consumers can now recover full reasonable veterinary costs regardless of the animal's purchase price.
AIRequires retail stores to offer local animal shelters the first opportunity to sell their adoptable animals before renting space to commercial dog breeders.
AIMandates a three-day waiting period for financed animal purchases and requires the termination of financing without penalty if the animal is certified unfit.
AIDeletes the statutory limit that previously capped consumer reimbursement for veterinary costs at the original purchase price of the animal.
AIAuthorizes the Department of Business and Professional Regulation to contract with private entities to administer a whistleblower program for reporting animal welfare violations.