Establishes the Healthy Pets Act

SECOND REGULAR SESSION
HOUSE BILL NO. 2590
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBL Y
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENT A TIVE CLEMENS.
5855H.01I JOSEPH ENGLER, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
T o amend chapter 273, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to domestic pet
care, with penalty provisions.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Chapter 273, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be
2 known as section 273.355, to read as follows:
273.355. 1. This section shall be known and may be cited as the "Healthy Pets
2 Act".
3 2. Commer cial br eeders shall maintain healthy breedi ng practices by completing
4 the following on all animals used for br eeding which shall be considered record s of
5 par entage for any animals res ulting fr om a breed ing pair:
6 (1) Genetic testing to scr een for genetic disorders common to the specific br eed
7 of animal being tested;
8 (2) Any vaccinations as re commended by the department of agricultur e;
9 (3) X-ray scr eening of any dog, as defined in section 273.040, to determine
10 pr esence or risk of hip dysplasia;
11 (4) An annual examination by a licensed veterinarian for the male of a br eeding
12 pair with an accompanying photograph of the animal taken within two weeks befor e or
13 after each annual examination;
14 (5) An examination by a licensed veterinarian of an intact female prior to each
15 br eeding cycle with an accompanying photograph of the animal taken within two weeks
16 befor e or after each examination and record s of the number of breed ing cycles
17 completed by each intact female;
EXPLANA TION — Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in the above bill is not enacted and is
intended to be omitted from the law . Matter in bold-face type in the above bill is proposed language.
18 (6) T aking photographs, at least quarterly , of the enclosur es where each
19 individual animal is housed and exercised and recordi ng amounts of time spent in each
20 location; and
21 (7) T aking photographs, at least quarterly , of the complex in which all animals
22 being used for breed ing are housed.
23 3. (1) Commer cial br eeders shall complete the following prior to selling an
24 animal to any individual, dealer , or pet shop:
25 (a) Genetic testing to scr een for genetic disorders common to the specific br eed
26 of animal being tested;
27 (b) Any vaccinations as reco mmended by the department of agricultur e for an
28 animal being sold or transferr ed;
29 (c) X-ray scr eening of any dog, as defined in section 273.040, to determine
30 pr esence or risk of hip dysplasia; and
31 (d) In the case of any dog, as defined in section 273.040, a review of any r ecords
32 of socialization with other dogs and people.
33 (2) The res ults of such genetic testing, r ecords of vaccination, record s of any
34 medical car e and surgeries performed including, but not limited to, x-rays, tail docking,
35 ear cro pping, or pr ophylactic use of antibiotics, and r ecords of par entage shall be
36 transferr ed with the animal to the r eceiving party .
37 4. (1) Dealers and pet shops shall not purch ase, exchange, or otherwise obtain
38 animals fr om any commer cial br eeder that has been:
39 (a) Found to be in violation of any state or federal laws or reg ulations
40 pr omulgated by the department of agricultur e or the United States Department of
41 Agricultur e rel ating to the care or keeping of animals within the last thr ee years; or
42 (b) Found guilty of animal abuse or neglect under section 578.009 or 578.012.
43 (2) The attorney general shall have concurr ent jurisdiction to enforce the
44 pr ovisions of this subsection. Any dealer or pet shop who knowingly pur chases an
45 animal in violation of this subsection shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor and each
46 pur chase of an animal shall constitute a separate offense. Second and subsequent
47 violations may be enhanced to a class E felony at the discret ion of the attorney general
48 or pr osecuting attorney .
49 5. Any dealer or pet shop found guilty of a third or subsequent offense under
50 subsection 4 of this section shall have its license immediately revok ed under section
51 273.329 and shall be pro hibited fr om engaging in the sale of animals.
52 6. Dealers and pet shops shall not buy , transfer , or exchange animals to a third
53 party or final consumer without pro viding:
54 (1) The re sults of genetic testing recei ved from the commer cial bree der;
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55 (2) Records of all vaccinations receiv ed fro m the commer cial br eeder and any
56 additional vaccinations r ecommended by the department of agricultur e between the
57 r eceipt of animals by dealers or pet shops fr om dealers or commer cial breed ers and
58 their transfer to the final consumer , which shall be completed by the dealer or pet shop
59 on the vaccination schedule recomm ended by the department of agricultur e;
60 (3) Records of any medical care and surgeries performed including, but not
61 limited to, X-rays, tail docking, ear crop ping, or pro phylactic use of antibiotics; and
62 (4) Records of paren tage.
63 7. Pet shops shall display pro minently on the enclosur e of each animal offer ed
64 for sale the:
65 (1) T otal purch ase price of the animal including, but not limited to, any taxes,
66 fees, and licensing costs; and
67 (2) Name, city , state, and license number of the commer cial breed er from which
68 the animal was pur chased or otherwise obtained.
69 8. Each animal pur chased fr om a dealer or pet shop shall be warrantied to be
70 fr ee fr om genetic or major medical conditions not caused by physical injury while in the
71 car e and control of the consumer for one year fr om the date of purch ase. If any genetic
72 or major medical condition manifests prior to the expiration of the warranty period, the
73 dealer or pet shop shall be liable for:
74 (1) Reasonable medical costs to tr eat such genetic or major medical condition;
75 (2) Euthanasia, if a licensed veterinarian determines it is necessary for the
76 humane tre atment of the animal; or
77 (3) Return and refu nd to the consumer at the consumer's discret ion.
✔
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