US states roll out new rules on pet sales, veterinary care and animal welfare

Colorado, Maryland, Alabama and Washington have adopted a series of legislative changes that will affect pet store sales, veterinary telehealth, professional discipline and dog welfare requirements, with most taking effect between late 2026 and mid-2027.

Washington

The state’s House Bill 2247 takes effect on 1 July 2027, establishing parameters for the veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR) and expanding the use of telehealth in veterinary medicine.

To establish a VCPR, veterinarians generally must have examined the animal in person within the previous year, unless telehealth is justified by significant access barriers or an urgent condition requiring timely care. For farms, laboratories and shelters, the relationship may instead be established through examinations or timely visits to those facilities.

The measure also authorizes teleadvice, emergency teletriage, pre-visit prescribing of non-controlled sedatives, dispensing medications prescribed by another veterinarian under specified conditions and poison control services without an established VCPR.

A VCPR can be terminated if it does not constitute patient abandonment. Clients with animals requiring ongoing medical or surgical care must be offered a referral to another veterinarian, while clients retain the right to end the relationship at any time.

Colorado

On 29 April 2026, Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed into law House Bill 1011, prohibiting pet stores from selling, leasing, bartering or auctioning dogs and cats. The new regulation will enter into force on 1 January 2027.

Retail establishments covered by the law may continue to host dogs and cats available for adoption, provided they do not charge a display fee and comply with certain requirements.

Exemptions apply to governmental agencies acquiring animals, including law enforcement animals, as well as guide, signal and service dogs. 

Animal shelters, pet rescue organizations, original breeders and health-related research facilities can also continue to sell, transfer or place dogs and cats for adoption. Additionally, owners who are not the original breeder can rehome up to 3 dogs or cats per calendar year.

Alabama

Effective 1 October 2026, Alabama’s Senate Bill 361 introduces statewide requirements for dog tethering and confinement, together with minimum care standards, enforcement provisions and penalties for violations.

Among the specifications, dogs may not be tethered to stationary objects such as trees, poles, stakes or structures unless secured using a trolley system that meets specified welfare standards. 

Additionally, tethers must be appropriate for the dog’s size, attached to a properly fitted collar or harness, and provide continuous access to food, water, and shelter. The bill also establishes minimum shelter standards for dogs kept outdoors, requiring protection from the weather, adequate space, ventilation and unrestricted access.

Violators are responsible for boarding and veterinary costs of their dogs and face escalating misdemeanor penalties for repeat offenses. 

Maryland

The Old Line State enacted legislation clarifying when the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners may take disciplinary action against veterinarians and veterinary practitioners.

The measure forbids the board from suspending, revoking or reprimanding a veterinary license, as well as placing a licensee on probation solely for discussing or recommending cannabis or cannabidiol (CBD) products to clients for use in animals for certain purposes.

Disciplinary action remains limited to specified grounds, including professional incompetence, physical or mental incapacity, felony or drug-related convictions, fraud or misrepresentation, malpractice, and aiding unlicensed veterinary practice. 

Other grounds include noncompliance with board regulations, animal cruelty, disciplinary action by another state’s licensing authority, failure to meet animal-cruelty reporting requirements and violations of Maryland’s cat declawing prohibition.