Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council Issues Pet Store Alerts
The Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC) of Washington, D.C., issued alerts late last week regarding proposals affecting pet stores in one part of New York and all of Nebraska.
PIJAC is the world’s largest pet trade association and represents the interests of manufacturers, distributors, breeders, retailers and pet owners themselves throughout the state of New York and within Albany County.
Legislature for Ulster County, New York, has a hearing scheduled for November 29, 2011. The legislation would establish a domestic animal abuse offender registry along with prohibiting the sale or transfer of any domestic animal to persons who are listed in the animal abuser registry. Any pet sellers violating the ordinance if passed would be subject to $2,500 fines for each violation.
A foreseeable problem with the ordinance is that the definition of “domestic animals” is not defined and could include the transfer and/or sale of animals including crickets, fish, and other animals. Pet store personnel would be required to conduct an Internet search and require that each customer transaction with a live animal must have photo identification. Not all pet dealers in Albany County have Internet access, which the proposed ordinance assumes they do. The hearing will occur at the Ulster County Office Building located at 244 Fair Street, Kingston, New York.
In related news, the Nebraska Department of Agriculture published Commercial Dog and Cat Operator Inspection Regulations amendments. Within the amendments, minimum standards for humane handling and care of animals, exercise requirements for dogs, primary enclosures, employee requirements, pest control, drainage and shelter, storage, ventilation, lighting and recordkeeping are outlined in addition to fines and their management/consideration.
The general public is invited to comment on these rules through November 30, 2011, with a hearing set for December 1, 2011 at 10 a.m. at the Nebraska State Office Building Department of Agriculture building in Lincoln Nebraska.
Further information about PIJAC may be found at www.pijac.org.
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