Pet shops; sale of puppy mill dogs prohibited, civil penalty.

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not provide details about enforcement mechanisms or penalties for accidental sales.

Pet Shops Cannot Sell Puppy Mill Dogs

This law makes it illegal for pet shops to sell, offer for sale, or transfer puppy mill dogs and sets a civil penalty of $2,000 per dog.

What This Bill Does

• Defines what a 'puppy mill' is based on conditions like overcrowding, lack of care, and profit-focused breeding practices.
• Says it's against the law for pet shops to sell or offer for sale puppy mill dogs if they know about it.
• Sets a fine of $2,000 per dog if a pet shop breaks this rule.
• Requires fines collected from breaking this rule to go into a special fund used by the state.

Who It Names or Affects

• Pet shops that sell or offer for sale puppy mill dogs
• People who run puppy mills

Terms To Know

Puppy Mill

A dog breeding operation where dogs are kept in poor conditions and bred mainly to make money.

Civil Penalty

Money that someone has to pay as a punishment for breaking the law.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify what happens if pet shops accidentally sell puppy mill dogs without knowing.
• It is unclear how this will be enforced and who will check on pet shops.
• Does not address other ways puppies might be sold, like online or at markets.

Official Summary Text

Pet shops; sale of puppy mill dogs prohibited; civil penalty.
Makes it unlawful for any pet shop to knowingly sell, offer for sale, or transfer any puppy mill dog, as defined in the bill. Any pet shop violating the provisions of the bill is subject to a civil penalty of $2,000 per dog offered for sale, sold, or transferred.

Current Bill Text

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered §
3.2-6511.3
, relating to pet shops; sale of puppy mill dogs prohibited; civil penalty.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered §
3.2-6511.3
as follows:

§
3.2-6511.3
. Pet shops;

sale o
f
puppy mill dogs
proh
ibited;
civil
penalty.

A. For the purposes of this section:

"Puppy mill" means a dog breeding operation that (i) maintains dogs in conditions that fail to provide adequate care, adequate exercise, adequate shelter, or adequate space; (ii) houses dogs in overcrowded, unsanitary, or inhumane conditions; (iii) operates with a primary purpose of maximizing profit through volume production of dogs while failing to provide adequate care; or (iv) has been cited by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for direct or critical violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. § 2131 et seq.) within the preceding two years, or has received two consecutive citations for refusal to allow facility access for inspection.

"Puppy mill dog" means a dog that was bred
by
, born
at
, raised by, or obtained from a puppy mill
.

B.
It is unlawful for any pet shop to

knowingly
s
ell, offer for sale, or transfer any puppy mill dog
.

C. Any pet shop that violates the provisions of this section
is subject to a civil penalty of $2,000 per dog offered for sale, sold, or transferred in violation of this section.
All civil penalties assessed under this section shall be recovered in a civil action brought by the Attorney General in the name of the Commonwealth. Such civil penalties shall be paid into a special fund in the state treasury to the credit of the Department to be used in carrying out the purposes of this chapter.