LANSING, Mich. — A new bill introduced in Lansing this week is looking to protect potential pets by stopping the sale of dogs, cats and rabbits in Michigan pet stores.
Thursday, legislation was introduced in the Michigan House to phase out the sale of dogs, cats and rabbits in pet stores.
The Puppy Protection Bill, introduced by Rep. Penelope Tsernoglou, aims to end the puppy mill-to-pet store pipeline, driving the “pet market in Michigan toward more humane sources, like shelters, rescues and responsible breeders.”
The Humane Society of the United States reports that since 2021, hundreds of puppies were imported by Michigan pet stores from puppy mill breeders and brokers in the Midwest.
“My legislation to phase out the sale of dogs, cats and rabbits in pet stores will protect animals from inhumane breeding conditions and ensure Michigan consumers are no longer duped into buying cruelly bred, sick or genetically disordered pets,” Tsernoglou said. “Pet stores routinely rely on inhumane breeding practices to procure dogs, cats and rabbits. It’s against the values of our pet-loving state to let this continue. I am calling on Michigan pet lovers to support this important transition to a humane business model for all pet stores statewide.”
In a news release, Tsernoglou said that in the last two years, Michigan pet stores have bought puppies from puppy mills that had been cited for “filthy, feces-filled conditions; denying veterinary care to dogs with open, gaping wounds; and allowing dogs to kill an entire litter of puppies in their enclosure.”
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Rep. Tsernoglou noted that while puppies are being imported from puppy mills to pet stores, Michigan shelters are dealing with overcrowding and an increase in the number of pets being surrendered to their care.
According to the Humane Society of the United States, Michigan is one of the top 10 states for pet store consumer complaints.
“We applaud Rep. Tsernoglou for introducing this humane pet store bill to shut down the puppy-mill-to-petstore pipeline in Michigan once and for all,” said Blake Goodman, Michigan state director for the Humane Society of the United States. “This policy will ensure that mother dogs are no longer treated like breeding machines so their puppies can be sold to unsuspecting Michigan consumers.”
The proposed bill mirrors local pet store ordinances already in effect in some Michigan cities, including Ann Arbor, Harbor Springs and St. Clair Shores.
If signed into law, Michigan would join Illinois, New York, Maryland, Maine, Washington and California in enacting this type of policy.
