HB26-1011 • 2026

Transfers of Certain Pet Animals

Under current law, a pet store in Colorado is permitted to sell or offer for sale dogs or cats if the pet store abides by certain requirements. The bill removes the existing permission so that, beginn

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Rep. M. Duran, Rep. K. McCormick, Sen. D. Roberts, Sen. R. Rodriguez, Rep. J. Bacon, Rep. K. Brown, Rep. R. English, Rep. M. Froelich, Rep. L. García, Rep. L. Goldstein, Rep. E. Hamrick, Rep. J. Joseph, Rep. M. Lindsay, Rep. K. Nguyen, Rep. M. Rutinel, Rep. G. Rydin, Rep. L. Smith, Rep. A. Valdez, Sen. J. Amabile, Sen. J. Coleman, Sen. L. Cutter
Last action: 2026-04-02
Official status: House Considered Senate Amendments - Result was to Concur - Repass
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation includes a term 'Pet Store Consumer Protection Act' which is not mentioned in the official source material. The actual short title provided by the bill is 'PISTOL THE POMERANIAN PROTECTION ACT', but this seems to be an error or placeholder.

Pet Store Consumer Protection Act

This bill stops pet stores in Colorado from selling or offering to sell dogs and cats, but allows them to display animals for adoption under certain conditions.

What This Bill Does

Removes the permission for pet stores to sell, lease, offer to sell or lease, barter, auction, or otherwise transfer ownership of a dog or cat starting January 1, 2027.
Defines 'broker' as someone who sells pets bred by others for profit, but excludes those who transfer no more than three single animals per year.
Prohibits brokers from selling, leasing, offering to sell or lease, bartering, auctioning, or transferring ownership of dogs and cats.
Allows certain exceptions such as sales to government agencies, transfers for hunting purposes, and adoptions through shelters.

Who It Names or Affects

Pet stores in Colorado
Brokers who sell pets bred by others
Consumers buying dogs and cats from pet stores

Terms To Know

Broker: A person who sells or transfers ownership of pet animals for profit.
Pet Store Consumer Protection Act: The name given to the law that stops pet stores from selling dogs and cats but allows them to display animals for adoption under certain conditions.

Limits and Unknowns

Does not apply to agricultural operations.
Allows exceptions such as sales to government agencies, transfers for hunting purposes, and adoptions through shelters.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

L.002

HOU Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources

Passed [*]

Plain English: The amendment changes the definition of a broker to exclude individuals who transfer no more than three pet animals per year under specific conditions.

Adds new language after line 17 on page 3, defining 'broker' to not include persons transferring up to three single pet animals annually if each animal is transferred only once.
Inserts an 'OR' between 'CAT;' and the next item on page 5, line 16.
Removes lines 17 through 21 from page 5.

The exact impact of removing specific lines (lines 17-21) is not clear without seeing those lines and understanding their content.

L.003

HOU Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources

Passed [*]

Plain English: The amendment adds a new rule allowing the sale, transfer, or adoption of hunting dogs to individuals with valid hunting licenses.

Adds an exception for selling, transferring, or adopting dogs bred or trained for lawful hunting to people who have current hunting licenses issued by Colorado's Division of Parks and Wildlife.

The amendment does not specify what happens if someone without a valid hunting license tries to buy or adopt such a dog.
It is unclear how this change will be enforced or monitored.

L.006

Second Reading

Lost [**]

Plain English: The amendment changes the conditions under which a pet store in Colorado can sell dogs or cats, adding new requirements for acquiring these animals.

Removes the current permission that allows pet stores to sell dogs and cats if they follow certain rules.
Adds a condition stating that pet stores may still sell dogs and cats only if they get them from breeders or other sources following specific rules and standards.

The exact nature of the 'rules and standards' mentioned in the amendment is not specified, so it's unclear what these requirements entail.

L.007

Second Reading

Lost [**]

Plain English: The amendment changes the year from 2027 to 2030 in a specific part of the bill.

Changes the year '2027' to '2030' in the printed bill.

The amendment text does not provide context about why this change is being made, so it's unclear what specific requirement or deadline this affects.

L.008

Second Reading

Lost [**]

Plain English: The amendment changes the requirements for pet stores in Colorado by removing certain conditions that allowed them to sell dogs and cats.

Removes existing permission for pet stores to sell or offer for sale dogs or cats under specific conditions.

The exact details of what conditions are being removed are not fully explained in the provided amendment text, making it unclear how this change will affect current practices.
It is unclear if there are any other provisions related to pet stores selling dogs and cats that remain unchanged.

L.009

Second Reading

Lost [**]

Plain English: The amendment would require pet stores to abort puppies beyond two in a litter to improve living conditions and health status of the remaining two.

Pet stores must abort all puppies beyond two in each litter.

The text is incomplete and unclear, making it difficult to fully understand the intent or practical implications.
It's not clear how this would be enforced or what specific methods are allowed for abortion.

L.012

Second Reading

Passed [**]

Plain English: The amendment changes the year from 2027 to 2028 in a specific part of the bill.

Changes the year '2027' to '2028' in the relevant section of the bill.

The amendment only specifies changing one date and does not provide context about why this change is being made or what it affects, making it hard to understand its full impact without additional information.

Bill History

2026-04-02 House
House Considered Senate Amendments - Result was to Concur - Repass
2026-03-31 House
House Considered Senate Amendments - Result was to Laid Over Daily
2026-03-30 Senate
Senate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments
2026-03-27 Senate
Senate Second Reading Passed with Amendments - Floor
2026-03-24 Senate
Senate Committee on State, Veterans, & Military Affairs Refer Unamended to Senate Committee of the Whole
2026-03-06 Senate
Introduced In Senate - Assigned to State, Veterans, & Military Affairs
2026-03-02 House
House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments
2026-02-27 House
House Third Reading Laid Over Daily - No Amendments
2026-02-26 House
House Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee
2026-02-23 House
House Committee on Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources Refer Amended to House Committee of the Whole
2026-01-14 House
Introduced In House - Assigned to Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources

Official Summary Text

Under current law, a pet store in Colorado is permitted to sell or offer for sale dogs or cats if the pet store abides by certain requirements. The bill removes the existing permission so that, beginning January 1, 2027, a pet store is no longer permitted to sell, lease, offer to sell or lease, barter, auction, or otherwise transfer ownership of a dog or cat. Nothing prohibits a pet store from providing space for the display of dogs or cats available for adoption if the pet store does not collect a fee from the display and if certain requirements are met.
The bill defines "broker" as a person that, for profit, sells, leases, offers to sell or lease, barters, auctions, or otherwise transfers ownership of, in person or online, a pet animal bred by another person.
A broker does not include a person that transfers no more than 3 single pet animals per each calendar year if the person transfers each single pet animal no more than once.
The bill states that a broker is not permitted to sell, lease, offer to sell or lease, barter, auction, or otherwise transfer ownership of a dog or cat. The bill clarifies that the following are still permitted:
The sale, transfer, or adoption of an animal, including a law enforcement animal, to a governmental agency;
The sale, transfer, or adoption of a guide, signal, or service dog;
The sale, transfer, or adoption of a dog or cat by an animal shelter or pet animal rescue;

The sale, transfer, or adoption of a dog bred or trained for lawful hunting to or by an individual who possesses a current hunting license;
The sale or transfer of a dog or cat by the original breeder of the dog or cat;
and

The sale or transfer of a dog or cat by, or on behalf of, the bona fide owner that is not the original breeder of the dog or cat to a new owner, so long as the bona fide owner does not sell or transfer a dog or cat more than three instances per each calendar year; and
The sale, transfer, or adoption of a dog or cat by a health-related research facility.
(Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.)
(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Second Regular Session
Seventy-fifth General Assembly
STATE OF COLORADO
REREVISED
This Version Includes All Amendments
Adopted in the Second House
LLS NO. 26-0116.01 Clare Haffner x6137 HOUSE BILL 26-1011
House Committees Senate Committees
Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources State, Veterans, & Military Affairs
A BILL FOR AN ACT
CONCERNING THE TRANSFER OF CERTAIN PET ANIMALS IN COLORADO.101
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does
not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill
passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that
applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at
http://leg.colorado.gov.)
Under current law, a pet store in Colorado is permitted to sell or
offer for sale dogs or cats if the pet store abides by certain requirements.
The bill removes the existing permission so that, beginning January 1,
2027, a pet store is no longer permitted to sell, lease, offer to sell or lease,
barter, auction, or otherwise transfer ownership of a dog or cat. Nothing
prohibits a pet store from providing space for the display of dogs or cats
available for adoption if the pet store does not collect a fee from the
display and if certain requirements are met.
SENATE
3rd Reading Unamended
March 30, 2026
SENATE
Amended 2nd Reading
March 27, 2026
HOUSE
3rd Reading Unamended
March 2, 2026
HOUSE
Amended 2nd Reading
February 26, 2026
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
Duran and McCormick, Bacon, Brown, English, Froelich, Goldstein, Hamrick, Joseph,
Lindsay, Nguyen, Rutinel, Rydin, Valdez
SENATE SPONSORSHIP
Rodriguez and Roberts, Amabile, Coleman, Cutter
Shading denotes HOUSE amendment. Double underlining denotes SENATE amendment.
Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material to be added to existing law.
Dashes through the words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law.
The bill defines "broker" as a person that, for profit, sells, leases,
offers to sell or lease, barters, auctions, or otherwise transfers ownership
of, in person or online, a pet animal bred by another person. The bill
states that a broker is not permitted to sell, lease, offer to sell or lease,
barter, auction, or otherwise transfer ownership of a dog or cat. The bill
clarifies that the following are still permitted:
! The sale, transfer, or adoption of an animal, including a law
enforcement animal, to a governmental agency;
! The sale, transfer, or adoption of a guide, signal, or service
dog;
! The sale, transfer, or adoption of a dog or cat by an animal
shelter or pet animal rescue;
! The sale or transfer of a dog or cat by the original breeder
of the dog or cat;
! The sale or transfer of a dog or cat by, or on behalf of, the
bona fide owner that is not the original breeder of the dog
or cat to a new owner, so long as the bona fide owner does
not sell or transfer a dog or cat more than three instances
per each calendar year; and
! The sale, transfer, or adoption of a dog or cat by a
health-related research facility.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
SECTION 1. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly2
finds and declares that:3
(a) Dogs in commercial breeding facilities, known as puppy mills,4
spend most of their lives in cramped cages, where they are forced to5
produce litter after litter and suffer from inadequate care, which6
frequently results in disease, behavioral issues, and even death;7
(b) While there are federal regulations intended to provide8
oversight of commercial breeding facilities, these federal regulations do9
not suffice in preventing cruelty to dogs in these facilities;10
(c) Retail stores and brokers selling dogs to the public engage in11
deceptive business practices, harming consumers across the state who are12
falsely made to believe that they are purchasing healthy puppies; and13
1011-2-
(d) Therefore, it is the policy of the state to end the sales and other1
transfers of dogs in retail stores and by brokers in order to:2
(I) Shut down the puppy mill pipeline and end the cruelty to dogs3
in these facilities;4
(II) Protect consumers from deceptive business practices; and5
(III) Support responsible breeders, animal shelters, and pet animal6
rescues.7
(2) The general assembly further finds and declares that nothing8
in this act impacts agricultural operations in the state.9
SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 35-80-102, add (1.7)10
and (8.5) as follows:11
35-80-102. Definitions.12
As used in this article 80, unless the context otherwise requires:13
(1.7) (a) "BROKER" MEANS A PERSON THAT , FOR PROFIT, SELLS,14
LEASES, OFFERS TO SELL OR LEASE, BARTERS, AUCTIONS, OR OTHERWISE15
TRANSFERS OWNERSHIP OF, IN PERSON OR ONLINE, A PET ANIMAL BRED BY16
ANOTHER PERSON.17
(b) "BROKER" DOES NOT INCLUDE A PERSON THAT TRANSFERS NO18
MORE THAN THREE SINGLE PET ANIMALS PER EACH CALENDAR YEAR IF THE19
PERSON TRANSFERS EACH SINGLE PET ANIMAL NO MORE THAN ONCE.20
(8.5) "GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY" MEANS A STATE AGENCY OR AN21
OFFICE, DEPARTMENT , DIVISION , BOARD , BUREAU , COMMISSION ,22
INSTITUTION, OR AGENCY OF A COUNTY , CITY, OR CITY AND COUNTY IN23
THE STATE.24
SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, amend 35-80-108.525
as follows:26
35-80-108.5. Pet stores - brokers - exceptions - short title.27
1011-3-
(1) The short title of this section is the "Pet Store Consumer1
Protection Act" "PISTOL THE POMERANIAN PROTECTION ACT".2
(2) A pet store that sells or offers for sale dogs or cats shall:3
(2) (a) Include on all advertisements, including website postings,4
the purchase price of the dog or cat and any applicable federal or state5
license numbers for the breeder of the dog or cat; O N AND AFTER6
JANUARY 1, 2028, A PET STORE SHALL NOT SELL, LEASE, OFFER TO SELL OR7
LEASE, BARTER, AUCTION, OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER OWNERSHIP OF A DOG8
OR CAT.9
(b) Post on the enclosure of each dog or cat the purchase price of10
the dog or cat and the following information on the dog's or cat's breeder:11
Full name; kennel name, if applicable; city; state; and any applicable state12
or federal license numbers; and NOTHING IN THIS SECTION PROHIBITS A13
PET STORE FROM PROVIDING SPACE FOR THE DISPLAY OF DOGS OR CATS14
AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION IF:15
(I) T HE DOGS OR CATS ARE DISPLAYED BY A LICENSED ANIMAL16
SHELTER OR PET ANIMAL RESCUE;17
(II) THE PET STORE DOES NOT RECEIVE A FEE IN CONNECTION WITH18
THE DISPLAY OF THE DOGS OR CATS; AND19
(III) ANY DOG OR CAT DISPLAYED FOR ADOPTION IS STERILIZED IN20
ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE STATE AND LOCAL REGULATIONS.21
(c) Disclose to a prospective consumer in writing, prior to the sale22
of a dog or cat, the following information about the dog or cat:23
(I) The purchase price of the dog or cat;24
(II) The interest rate or range associated with any financing or25
credit card offered to the prospective purchaser; and26
(III) Any applicable federal or state license numbers and an27
1011-4-
unredacted list of all violations of any federal or state law the dog or cat1
breeder, broker, or transporter received in the previous two years on a2
federal or state inspection report.3
(3) Nothing in this section precludes a statutory or home rule4
town, city, county, or city and county from enacting laws more stringent5
than the requirements of this section. including a prohibition on the sale6
or offer for sale of dogs and cats.7
(4) (a) A BROKER SHALL NOT SELL , LEASE , OFFER TO SELL OR8
LEASE, BARTER, AUCTION, OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER OWNERSHIP OF A DOG9
OR CAT.10
(b) SUBSECTION (4)(a) OF THIS SECTION DOES NOT APPLY TO:11
(I) THE SALE, TRANSFER, OR ADOPTION OF AN ANIMAL, INCLUDING12
A LAW ENFORCEMENT ANIMAL, TO A GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY;13
(II) THE SALE, TRANSFER, OR ADOPTION OF A GUIDE, SIGNAL, OR14
SERVICE DOG;15
(III) THE SALE, TRANSFER, OR ADOPTION OF A DOG OR CAT BY AN16
ANIMAL SHELTER OR PET ANIMAL RESCUE;17
(IV) T HE SALE, TRANSFER, OR ADOPTION OF A DOG BRED OR18
TRAINED FOR LAWFUL HUNTING TO OR BY AN INDIVIDUAL WHO POSSESSES19
A CURRENT HUNTING LICENSE IN GOOD STANDING ISSUED BY THE DIVISION20
OF PARKS AND WILDLIFE PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 4 OF TITLE 33;21
(V) THE SALE OR TRANSFER OF A DOG OR CAT BY THE ORIGINAL22
BREEDER OF THE DOG OR CAT; OR23
24
(VI) THE SALE, TRANSFER, OR ADOPTION OF A DOG OR CAT BY A25
HEALTH-RELATED RESEARCH FACILITY PURSUANT TO SECTION 35-82-102.26
SECTION 4. Safety clause. The general assembly finds,27
1011-5-
determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate1
preservation of the public peace, health, or safety or for appropriations for2
the support and maintenance of the departments of the state and state3
institutions.4
1011-6-