New York becomes latest state to ban sale of cats, dogs, and rabbits in pet stores

A person looks in the windows of Shake-A-Paw, a pet store in Hicksville, New York
(Image credit: Newsday LLC / Contributor/ Getty Images)

New York became the latest state to pass a law banning the sale of cats, dogs, and rabbits in pet stores, an effort to curb the use of commercial breeders denounced by critics as "puppy mills," The Associated Press reports.

Under the new law signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), pet shops will work with animal shelters to find homes for rescued or abandoned animals. The law will also prohibit breeders from selling more than nine animals annually. The ban will not apply to at-home breeders who sell animals raised on their property. The ban is set to take effect in 2024.

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Theara Coleman, The Week US

Theara Coleman has worked as a staff writer at The Week since September 2022. She frequently writes about technology, education, literature and general news. She was previously a contributing writer and assistant editor at Honeysuckle Magazine, where she covered racial politics and cannabis industry news.