New Illinois Law Requires Pet Stores to Provide Full Disclosure

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Yay for my home state! In today's news:

 

Pet stores must share animals' health history
December 27, 2010 12:20 PM
SPRINGFIELD--A new state law that will take effect on New Year's Day requires pet stores to give potential buyers the details of every animal's health history.

The Illinois Department of Agriculture says the new law will require that stores provide an animal's vaccination history and other details about its health. Stores also will have to disclose the name of the breeder as well as the animal's date of birth, breed and other details.

The department says stores now must disclose such information only if it is requested and sometimes don't provide it until a sale is final.

The law makes allowances for animal shelters and animal control facilities that often don't know an animal's history.

--Associated Press

It's about time. I hope other states are enacting this kind of law, too!

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

I can see it now, Every Puppy Mill out there is prettying up their websites to make them look like private homes with lots of kids playing with the puppies.  It is a step in the right direction, but sadly, I think that most people who are buying from Pet Stores really don't know what to do with this information once they get it.

[Adina P]

True most won't know what to look for but I think it will provide info for education.  I think this is great!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

If you do a google search for the name, more often than not you get something. I have done this with the names of "breeders" from pet store papers that were relinquished with dogs who were turned over to rescues, and found citation reports from failed inspections, complaints from consumers, and other info. You can also enter the info into the Pet Store Puppies website and get a free report.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

For example: One of my fosters was relinquished with her original pet store papers, which happened to include the breeder's name. I did a Google search and here's what I got:

http://www.caps-web.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&...

There actually was a video of the premises at the time, too, but that's no longer on-line.

This kind of place doesn't have a website to pretty up.

 

The shelter where I got Jack had his papers but wouldn't let me see them; they claimed the breeder's name wasn't on them, only his DOB and his litter number. Oh, and his parents' names were Dusty and Olive. How I wish the breeder's name had been included. I know the name and location of the pet store, but it's no longer in existence.

[Brittany&Sami]

I agree..people who are taking the time to really investigate where their puppy is coming from aren't going to the Pet Store. :(

[F, Calla & Luca]

Good news, a step on the right direction.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I agree this is at least a good first step.  It's interesting that they don't have to provide the information until the sale is final.  At that point, it's too late for the buyer to even react to the information (other than to be furious if it's not favorable).  It's kind of like "okay, thanks for just paying me this $1000 for your puppy, and buy the way he came from a puppy mill and we have reason to believe he may have some genetic hip abnormalities".  Am I reading this right?  If I am....WTD!  There's still no incentive for a Pet Store owner to even care about the history of the dog because they don't have to disclose the "bad news" until they have the cash in hand.

[Adina P]

I read it as the status quo is that NOW they only disclose after purchase but that the new law will force earlier disclosure.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Right.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

This law changes that. They will now have to have the info on display prior to the sale.

I agree the wording of this article is confusing.

"The department says stores now must disclose such information only if it is requested and sometimes don't provide it until a sale is final." means that this is the way it stands currently, but this will change after the law goes into effect January 1, 2011.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Okay, that makes much more sense.

[Camilla and Darwin]

Great news!