What's happening
This bill sets stricter regulations on dog breeding, including age, frequency limits, and care standards for breeding dogs and puppies.
Why it matters
Limits on Breeding Age and Frequency. By restricting breeding to female dogs between 18 months and 6 years old, and capping the number of litters to four per dog (with only one allowed per year), the bill aims to prevent overbreeding and protect the health of breeding dogs.
Mandatory Retirement and Tracking. After four litters, female dogs must be retired from breeding, and their status must be documented. The bill also bans transferring retired dogs to other breeders for further breeding, ensuring they aren't cycled through multiple breeding operations.
Improved Care Standards for Pregnant/Nursing Dogs. The bill requires pet dealers to provide proper whelping or nesting boxes, and mandates separation of pregnant or nursing dogs from other animals to reduce stress and disease risk—indicating a focus on animal welfare during vulnerable periods.
Minimum Age for Puppy Separation. Puppies cannot be separated from their mother or littermates until they are at least eight weeks old, which supports healthier social and physical development and helps prevent early health and behavioral issues.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Limit Dog Breeding Practices
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to agriculture
- Referred to agriculture
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Limit Dog Breeding Practices
In Assembly Committee · Agriculture · Sponsor Steven Englebright
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5478
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
March 30, 2017
Introduced by Sen. AVELLA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Agriculture
AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to restricting the breeding of dogs and setting standards for the care of breeding dogs and their puppies
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraphs (g) and (h) of subdivision 1 of section 401 of the agriculture and markets law, paragraph (g) as added by chapter 259 of the laws of 2000 and paragraph (h) as added by chapter 110 of the laws of 2012, are amended to read as follows:
(g) [In the event that a pet dealer has a pregnant or nursing dog on his or her premises, the pet dealer shall provide a whelping box for such dog.
(h)] Pet dealers shall designate and provide an isolation area for animals that exhibit symptoms of contagious disease or illness. The location of such designated area must be such as to prevent or reduce the spread of disease to healthy animals.
§ 2. Section 401 of the agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a new subdivision 8 to read as follows:
8. Breeding, birth and the care of puppies. (a) Female dogs shall not be bred unless they are at least eighteen months old and less than six years old. No female dog over the age of six years old shall be bred.
(b) (1) A female dog shall not be bred more than once a year.
(2) A female dog shall not be bred more than four times. After a female dog has whelped four litters, the dog shall be retired from breeding regardless of her age.
(3) A dog who has been retired from breeding shall not be sold, released, given, bartered or otherwise transferred to any other pet dealer for the purpose of further breeding. All veterinary and transfer
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03333-01-7
S. 5478 2
documentation pertaining to such dog shall reflect that the dog is retired from breeding.
(c) In the event that a pet dealer has a pregnant or nursing dog on his or her premises, the pet dealer shall provide a whelping or nesting box for such dog. A pregnant dog shall be separated from other animals in preparation for whelping not less than three days before the dog's estimated date of whelping. A nursing dog and her puppies shall be separated from other animals until the puppies are all weaned; provided that a pet dealer may keep two or more nursing dogs and their respective puppies together in a location separate from non-nursing dogs.
(d) (1) No puppy shall be separated from its mother and littermates until it is at least eight weeks old. All puppies and their mother must remain on the pet dealer's premises until the puppies are at least eight weeks old.
(2) The provisions of this paragraph shall not prohibit the temporary separation of puppies from the mother dog for the purpose of seeking necessary care from a veterinarian.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to restricting the breeding of dogs and setting standards for the care of breeding dogs and their puppies
Purpose or general idea of bill
Restricts the breeding of dogs and setting standards for the care of breeding dogs and their puppies.
Summary of provisions
Puts restrictions on the breeding of dogs. Specifically requires that female dogs shall not be bred unless they are at least eighteen months old and less than six years old. Also, restricts female dogs from being breed more than once per year, and not more than four times total. The bill also states that if a pet dealer has a pregnant or nursing dog on their premises they are required to provide a minimum level of care. Furthermore, the bill restricts separating puppies from their mother until they are at least eight weeks old, unless necessary care is needed.
Justification
Puppy mills are large scale breeding operations that seek to benefit financially at the expense of the well-being of dogs. Puppy mills often result in the mistreatment of dogs and also lead to an overpopulation of dogs. This bill seeks to put some commonsense restrictions on the puppy mills and to improve the humane treatment of dogs.
Prior legislative history
2017 : A6646 (Englebright) 2015-16: A2386 (Englebright) 2013-14: A7346 (Englebright)/55194 (Serrano)
Fiscal implications for state and local governments
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.