CVMA opposes HB 20-1084 (Requirements for Dog and Cat Breeders and Sellers)

The CVMA Board of Directors has voted to oppose Colorado HB 20-1084, Requirements for Dog and Cat Breeders and Sellers, in its current form. CVMA has requested that the sponsors of the bill conduct robust stakeholder meetings on the bill.

CVMA supports the principle that Coloradans be able to adopt or purchase healthy, safe pets. Among CVMA’s concerns about the bill are the following:

• The bill’s legislative declarations are not fully accurate.
• The bill requires practices that are not consistent with research-based healthy breeding practices for female dogs.
• The bill undercuts PACFA – it increases the inspection workload and decreases funding for the Colorado Pet Animal Care Facilities Act, which is an animal welfare mainstay in Colorado.
• The bill as written will likely have unintended consequences and contains many unenforceable provisions.

The bill summary reads:

The bill creates the “Humane Pet Act”, which: 1. Establishes standards for the care and treatment of dogs and cats by dog breeders and cat breeders; 2. Prohibits the sale of a dog or cat in a public place by any person; and 3. Prohibits the sale of dogs and cats by pet stores.

To read more about this bill, view the bill on the CVMA Bill Tracker.

The bill is scheduled to be heard February 3 by the House Rural Affairs and Agriculture Committee.