New Law Puts Pet Importation On Shorter Leash

Some animal rescue groups are growling about a new law that aims to clamp down on parking lot pet exchanges. 

Starting Oct. 1 animal importers must register with the Connecticut Department of Agriculture and local zoning officers about any sale, adoption, or transfer of animals. They must also pay a $100 registration fee. Anyone violating the law faces a $500 fine.

“My understanding is the goal of the bill is to prevent importers from selling animals from the back of a truck,” state Sen. Carlo Leone, a Democrat representing Stamford and Darien in the 27th Senate District, told Patch.

Connecticut Department of Agriculture Commissioner Steve Reviczky supports the bill.

During public hearing testimony Reviczky told the environment committee his department receives numerous complaints from the public about animals coming into the state with significant health issues, including respiratory problems and parasite infections. However, some rescue groups say the law will discourage rescues.

The Federation of Responsible Rescues opposes the new law.

The group said the law "effectively ends the ability of legitimate rescues to offer dogs for adoption in the state of Connecticut by making the cost so prohibitive that adoption is not feasible for the vast majority of adopters."

According to the legislation, an animal importer is “a person who brings any dog or cat into this state for purpose of selling the animal, adopting, or transfer for any fee, sale voluntary contribution, service or any other consideration.”

Yet, legislators who supported the bill said many of these animals were adopted out of shipping containers in parking lots, without required current health certificates and showing signs of disease.

But until the governor signed the law the agriculture department could only require rabies vaccination.

“I think it’s a great bill. He’s a very good commissioner,” said state Rep. Terrie Wood, a Republican representing Darien and Rowayton in the 141st House District.

The Connecticut Veterinary Medical Association called the law  “a necessary and measured approach to addressing the growing problem of unregulated transport of animals into Connecticut.”

According to the association, an informal, unregulated industry to move pets into the state developed in recent years, particularly after Hurricane Katrina, in 2005.

In addition, the law says no person, firm, or corporation can import or export for sale a dog or cat under 8-weeks old without its mother. It also prohibits the sale of dogs or cats under 8-weeks old.

Animal importers who offer dogs or cats for sale to licensed pet shops are exempt from the bill’s registration and notice provisions if the animal is delivered directly to the shop.

“The current situation poses significant risk to the state’s human population through the potential introduction of zoonotic diseases and also threatens the state’s companion animal population,” Reviczky said in testimony.

Under the new law a health certificate must accompany any animal imported into the state. The animal importer must also get a veterinary exam and new health certificate for the animal within 48 hours of entering Connecticut. And a licensed veterinarian must examine the animal every 90 days until the animal is sold, transferred or adopted. Importers must keep the records for up to three years.

“The way I understand it, it will help prevent breeders from bringing sick or inhumanely acquired dogs in from out of state. Anything that helps protect animals (which is what we are trying to do here) is a good thing to me,” said state Rep. Kim Fawcett, a Democrat representing Fairfield and Westport in the 133rd House District.

“The whole idea is a good one for people adopting animals [to] make sure they are healthy,” said state Rep. Livvy Floren, a Republican representing North Stamford and Greenwich in the 149th House District.

State Rep. Dave Baram, a Democrat representing Bloomfield and Windsor in the 15th House District, said many shelter and rescue animals weren’t getting the degree of medical care seen in Connecticut.

“I understand some animal rescue groups are worried about it creating added costs, but the end result outweighs that. It’s more humane,” Baram said. “Not only does the law help animals, it helps mitigate the emotional distress for families who have bonded with these animals that sometimes get sick or die.”

(Editor's note: This article was modified from its original version. The paragraph referencing the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) was removed. The organization has made no statement in regard to this new law in Connecticut. Also, the original version stated that Terrie Wood represents Darien and Norwalk. She represents Darien and Rowayton.)