In New York State, it will be illegal to buy a dog, cat, or rabbit from a pet store starting next month.
Large-scale breeding businesses known as puppy mills, which have long been criticized for treating animals cruelly and providing them with subpar living conditions, would be disrupted by the Puppy Mill Pipeline Act.
Pet shops may still collaborate with nonprofit rescue groups to display adoptable animals under the new rule, but if they still sell, rent, or give ownership of these animals, they risk fines of up to $1,000 per infraction.
Animal Cruelty
Although there are no pet shops in Putnam County that sell animals, Richard Doyle of Mahopac entered a guilty plea to five charges of animal cruelty after being charged with several counts of both animal cruelty and witness tampering in the summer of 2015.
Doyle entered a guilty plea in Danbury Superior Court, was not given a jail sentence, and was placed on three years of probation. Additionally, despite having no connection to any pet store or animal shelter, he was mandated to donate $5,000 to the Second Chance Rescue.
Doyle was first taken into custody in July 2015 and again in April 2016 on suspicion of animal abuse and unlicensed veterinary practice.