N.J. Bill Would Require Pet Stores to Say Where Dogs, Cats Came From

In an effort to crack down on "puppy mills," a proposed bill that advanced out of a New Jersey state Senate committee on Monday would require pet stores to display information about each dog and cat for sale, including the name and address of the breeder.

The proposal by Sen. James Holzapfel (R-Ocean) and Robert Singer (R-Ocean, Monmouth) also prohibits pet shops from selling or offering for sale, or purchasing for resale, dogs or cats obtained from breeders or intermediaries who are unlicensed, not in compliance with laws and regulation regarding the care of animals, or who have been issued certain citations on USDA inspection reports.

"We've heard too many stories about puppy and kitten mills that breed and keep too many animals in unhealthy and inhumane conditions," said Holzapfel, in a statement. "By requiring increased disclosure of a cat or dog's history at the point of sale, we can give consumers the opportunity to research the breeder and their reputation and make an informed decision on where to make their purchase."

Holzapfel has been introducing bills aimed at curtailing sales of dogs and cats from puppy mills since 2012, when a store in his district, Puppies Galore in Brick Township, was raided by authorities and shut down.

By the time authorities arrived at the store, 26 of the 39 dogs being held there were sick, some seriously. The photo attached to this story was taken by a Patch reporter as the dogs were being removed from the store.

A previous proposal by Holzapfel to create a registry of breeders in New Jersey did not make it out of the legislative committee that approved his latest bill.

"We must make it harder for puppy and kitten mills to anonymously breed and sell masses of unhealthy pets to consumers, who often are provided little if any information on the source of the cat or dog they are purchasing or the animal's medical history," said Singer. "The protections offered by this legislation will help put the bad breeders out of business and ensure that fewer families are heartbroken by a new puppy or kitten falling ill."

Pet stores that violate the law, under the proposed legislation, would face a $500 fine.