Animals Humane pet shop laws by country

[Maciamo]

From the first of January this year, a new law comes into force in France to tackle animal cruelty. The law bans the sale of cats and dogs in pet stores.

The law makes sure that first-time buyers of cats or dogs would have to sign a 'certificate of commitment and understanding' before making their purchase. After the signed document is delivered to the authorities, future owners have seven days to change their mind - the idea is to prevent people from 'impulsively' buying pets only to abandon them later.

The new law also strengthens already existing sanctions for the abandonment of a pet which currently stand at a maximum penalty of two years' imprisonment and a €30,000 fine.

French law already sanctions serious abuse against pets - the new legislation strengthens these sanctions, notably for abuse committed by children.

The maximum penalty is now five years in prison and a €75,000 fine.

The new law also makes it a crime to deliberately kill pets or otherwise tamed animals.

Spain already passed a ban on the sale of small animals such as rabbits, hamsters and puppies last year. The UK banned the sale of puppies and kittens in pet shops in 2018, Belgium in 2008 and Austria as early as 2004. Sweden has had similar bans in place for many years although I could not find exactly since when. France now has some of the strictest laws against animal cruelty in Europe, alongside Austria and Sweden.

In the United States, several states, including New York, California and Illinois, had already passed laws banning the sales of puppies and kittens from breeding mills. In many other states legislation exists at the county or city level. This map shows the present legislation by state. Nevertheless 17 states still do not have any humane pet sales law.

 

[Jovialis]

Banning the sale of cats and dogs seems rash to me. But I would definitely support a cap on how many someone can own, especially cats.

 

[Maciamo]

Banning the sale of cats and dogs seems rash to me. But I would definitely support a cap on how many someone can own, especially cats.

It's not the sale of cats and dogs that is banned, it is the sale in pet stores, because they have to wait to be bought for weeks or months inside cages, alone and in stressful conditions. I've seen many pet shops like this in Japan recently and they reminded me of slave markets.

 

[Jovialis]

I see, in that case it makes more sense.