New York Animal Care Law Gets a Facelift
If you’re a pet store owner in the area, it’s time to stand up and take notice. A new bill, 697-D that was sponsored by animal rights advocate Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis sets a new standard for animal care in New York.
For over a decade, the standard of care required by pet owners has not been updated, and Malliotakis thought that it was high time that it was, as did Assemblywoman Amy Paulin who also sponsored the bill. The bill, according to a release by Paulin, addresses “the standards of care of animals by pet dealers which have not been updated for over a decade.”
The new bill will serve a number of purposes. It will ensure that dogs and cats that show symptoms of contagious disease or illness in a pet store will be separated from healthy animals. It outlines the program that is required for veterinary care for animals in pet stores and through pet dealers. It also requires pet dealers to maintain a daily exercise program for dogs that is appropriate for their breed.
As Michael Maddox, the Vice President of Government Affairs and General Counsel of the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (“PIJAC”), said,
“We are extremely supportive of the Assemblywoman’s efforts in updating the standards of care for regulated pet dealers and taking a strong, but reasonable approach to this issue. We share the Assemblywoman’s goal of ensuring that pet dealers observe sound standards and are pleased that PIJAC can offer its unequivocal support for her bill.”
As Malliotakis said, “The recent passage of this bill, of which I am a co-sponsor, is good news for animals and consumers alike. By improving living conditions and increasing exercise and health requirements for animals owned by pet dealers, our furry friends will be protected from the sub-standard arrangements many animals are subjected to. In addition, this ensures that pet buyers will be purchasing happy, healthy pets to join their families. I applaud my colleagues in the Assembly for seeing this common-sense bill through.”
