Hot Report: Pet Shops and Imported Animals

OLR Report 2013-R-0275 answers a number of questions about pet stores and imported animals.  These questions include:

• What are animal importers and what requirements does the law place on them?
• Does the state record the number of dogs and cats that animal importers bring into the state for sale to pet shops? If so, what information must the state record, and how many dogs were imported for sale to pet shops in Connecticut from 2010 to 2013?
• Does DoAG collect and retain records on out-of-state breeders from which pet shops purchase dogs or cats?
• Does DoAG advertise (e.g., with public service announcements) that the public can file a complaint concerning pet shops with the department?
• How often does DoAG inspect pet shops and what records does it review?
• Are pet shops required to take dogs and cats to a veterinarian within a certain period of time after their arrival at the shop?
• What is the state's pet lemon law, and does it require pet shops to report to DoAG the number of dogs returned to them due to illness or the reimbursement they have paid out for veterinarian bills?

For the answer to these questions, read the report.