How New York’s ban on pet sales is impacting the state’s retailers

Two years ago, the New York Governor signed the Puppy Mill Pipeline Act into law – making it illegal to sell dogs, cats and rabbits in New York state’s pet shops in an effort to target unethical breeding practices by out-of-state breeders.

Animal welfare groups hailed the legislation as a big win. Since then, some pet shops across the region have shut, while others have turned to supply sales and other related businesses.

Impacts on business

From 15 December 2024, when the regulation entered into force, any sale of a dog, cat or rabbit at a retail store in New York state could result in a $1,000 (€952) fine.

With many puppies and kittens in the market costing upwards of $1,000 (€952), shops will likely lose a significant portion of their sales revenue. Many businesses are believed to be turning to a shelter system or otherwise finding new ways to keep profits up.

At The Puppy Patch, a boutique-style pet shop in Elmira, owner Hannah Smalley is scrambling to find ways to keep her business afloat. She tells PETS International that puppy sales make up about 75% of her sales.

Now, she’s working with a lawyer to figure out how to move forward as an at-home pet retailer. Her dogs are sourced from regulated breeders, but the bill does not allow for pet shops to sell from these sources.

Intended target

Smalley admits it “blows her mind” that the law was made to target puppy mills, many of which operate under the radar.

“You hear about puppy mills; you know where they are… you know about them,” she says, adding that many may continue to operate even as her store faces closure.

Pet Palace in New City was forced to stop selling dogs in-store but is trying to continue selling them online. Owner Doug Staley blames heated rhetoric around puppy mills, which he prefers to call “substandard” breeders.

“It pretty much killed my business,” he states when referring to the ban – and he also warns of larger implications. “Without pets, there is no pet industry.”

Further consequences

Though dog breeding practices were the main driver behind the bill, even some shops that do not sell dogs have been impacted.

Park Ave Pets in Rochester sells a variety of small animals. Until recently, that included rabbits. Unlike numerous dog stores, which buy dogs from mills out of state, many shops like Park Ave Pets sell rabbits sourced from local breeders.

The store’s manager, Asher Hitchcock, says that while the new ban won’t have a huge impact on his business, he thinks rabbit sales may be pushed “underground”.

He said he was “not super happy about it” and that some were confused about why rabbits were included in the ban.

Last-ditch effort

The ban took effect despite a failed attempt by several businesses to get a judge to block the law.

According to the Virginia-based Pet Advocacy Network, a similar ban in California led to increased fraudulent sales and a spike in sick puppies from unregulated sources requiring veterinary care.

Days before the ban, the group filed a lawsuit on behalf of several New York businesses, but the suit was denied.

“Pet sale bans hurt pets, families and small businesses,” says Pet Advocacy Network CEO Mike Bober.

The association believes that the new regulation in New York state “takes away” protections for pet owners and leaves New Yorkers “more vulnerable” to fraudulent sellers on the unregulated black market.

Future of pet sales

New Yorkers looking for new dogs, cats or rabbits still have options.

Private breeders will still be allowed to operate in the state and shelters typically have an abundance of pets available for adoption.

Some may still be able to get pets at classic pet stores – New York’s new law includes a specific carveout for pet shops that lease their space to shelters, though cash-strapped nonprofit shelters may struggle to afford high rents pet shop owners may charge to make up for lost pet sales revenue.

It remains to be seen what longer-term impacts this will have on New York state’s pet sector, as well as the welfare of dogs in the US.

Legislating breeding

The movement against large industrial dog breeders in the US has led to laws being enacted in multiple states and cities.

California made history as the first state to ban retail pet sales in 2017, prohibiting pet stores from selling dogs, cats and rabbits unless they were obtained from a shelter or rescue organization.

Maryland followed suit in 2018 by banning pet stores from selling puppies and kittens. The law allowed people to buy pets from a store or a breeder as long as the animal was born at the business or farm where it was sold.

Many of the nation’s largest metropolitan areas, including Boston, Philadelphia and Cook County – home to Chicago – have also enacted similar bans over the past few years.