An Act banning the retail sale of dogs, cats, rabbits, and guinea pigs in pet shops

Agriculture

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: Adam J. Scanlon
Last action: 2026-06-08
Official status: Referred to House Committee on Bills in the Third Reading
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on the consequences for violating the ban.

Ban on Selling Pets in Pet Shops

This act bans pet shops from selling dogs, cats, rabbits, and guinea pigs but allows them to provide space for animal rescue organizations to showcase these animals for adoption without owning them.

What This Bill Does

Bans pet shops from selling or offering for sale dogs, cats, rabbits, and guinea pigs.
Allows pet shops to give space to animal rescue groups to show these pets for adoption without owning them.

Who It Names or Affects

Pet shop owners and operators
Animal rescue organizations

Terms To Know

Pet Shop: A store that sells pets like dogs, cats, rabbits, and guinea pigs.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what will happen if someone breaks the rules.
It is unclear when this act will become law since it has not yet passed all stages of legislation.

Bill History

2026-06-08 House
Committee reported that the matter be placed in the Orders of the Day for the next sitting
2026-06-08 House
Rules suspended
2026-06-08 House
Read second and ordered to a third reading
2026-05-18 House
Reported from the committee on House Rules
2026-05-18 House
Reported on the residue of H5369
2026-05-18 House
Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Steering, Policy and Scheduling
2026-05-07 House
Accompanied a study order, see H5369 (under House Rule 27)
2025-10-10 Joint
Hearing scheduled for 10/21/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in A-1
2025-09-08 Senate
Senate concurred
2025-09-04 House
Discharged to the committee on Environment and Natural Resources
2025-07-24 Senate
Senate concurred
2025-04-03 House
Reported, referred to the committee on Joint Rules, reported, rules suspended and referred to the committee on Agriculture
2025-03-27 House
Referred to the committee on House Rules
House
Reported by committee to Clerk’s Office for processing, will accompany a study order

Official Summary Text

An Act banning the retail sale of dogs, cats, rabbits, and guinea pigs in pet shops
By Representative Scanlon of North Attleborough, a petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Adam J. Scanlon and Manny Cruz for legislation to further regulate the retail sale of dogs, cats, rabbits, and guinea pigs in pet shops. Agriculture.
Status:
Referred to House Committee on Bills in the Third Reading

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Bill H.4319

SECTION 1. Section 39A of chapter 129 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting, in line 1, before the word “Every”, the following letter:- (a)

SECTION 2. Said section 39A of said chapter 129 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 13, the word “section”, and inserting in place thereof the following word:- subsection

SECTION 3. Said section 39A of said chapter 129 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after subsection (a) the following 3 subsections:-

(b) No person engaged in the business of operating a pet shop for which a license must be obtained pursuant to subsection (a); and are regulated under 330 CMR 12.00 shall sell or offer for sale a dog, cat, rabbit, or guinea pig.

(c) Subsection (b) shall not be construed to prohibit a pet shop from offering space to an animal rescue or shelter organization to showcase dogs, cats, rabbits, or guinea pigs for adoption so long as the pet shop does not have an ownership interest in the animals offered for adoption.

(d) Nothing in subsections (b) or (c) shall affect the authority of any town, city, or other locality to regulate or prohibit the sale of dogs, cats, rabbits or guinea pigs.

SECTION 4. This act shall go into effect 90 days after its passage.

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