Breeder

What’s Hot … UPDATE: 09/01/2026 Palm Beach County, Florida Board of County Commissioners Meeting on Hobby Breeder Restrictions and Other Updates to its Animal Care and Control Ordinance

 

Kelly Crouch, CFA Legislative Information Liaison

The Palm Beach County, FL Board of Commissioners has added the preliminary reading of the proposed repeal and replace Animal Care and Control Ordinance to the September 1, 2026 Board of County Commissioners meeting agenda. The Commission will also decide whether to advertise the ordinance at that meeting. The draft ordinance would affect cat and dog hobby breeders in the county and would make hobby breeding more expensive by increasing hobby breeder permit fees from $150 to $400 per year. According to the ordinance summary, the increase is meant to cover the cost of implementing the program, which is currently $66,000 per year. Mandatory inspections would be conducted at least once a year as a condition of annual permit renewal. Cats over four months and dogs over six months must be sterilized without an approved hobby breeder permit and an intact license. Only one Hobby permit shall be issued per parcel of land. A hobby breeder is defined as “any person who intentionally or unintentionally causes or allows the breeding or studding of a dog or cat or engages in the breeding of up to two (2) litters of dogs or cats or nineteen (19) dogs or cats per household or premises per one-year period.” [Emphasis added.]

 The proposed draft removes the term “or unintentional” from the definition of hobby breeder, but unintentional shows up in the new definition of illegal breeder. An “Illegal breeder shall mean any person who intentionally or unintentionally causes or allows the breeding or studding of a dog or cat or engages in such without an approved Hobby Breeder permit”. Illegal breeders must sterilize their animals within 30 days of the notice of noncompliance. They will also be ineligible for a Hobby Breeder permit for one year. There are no lesser penalties for a first-time offense.

Hobby breeding is already very restrictive in the county. The proposed draft would significantly increase costs for hobby breeders. With the illegal breeder provisions, it could end breeding programs and eliminate valuable lines important to maintaining genetic diversity and health in the breed.

Other proposed changes include clarifying the number of animals allowed for certain size parcels of land, reducing the hold period in shelters for cats without microchips (electronic animal identification device), commercial breeder requirements, and the manner of keeping animals.  

Agendas for the Board of Commissioners can be found at https://discover.pbc.gov/countycommissioners/Pages/Meeting-Dates.aspx

The proposed ordinance can be found at http://www.pbcgov.com/pubInf/Agenda/20260901/5D1.pdf

What’s Hot … Hobby Breeder Restrictions in Palm Beach County, Florida, andSpay/Neuter in Monterey County, California and Honolulu, Hawaii

 

Kelly Crouch, CFA Legislative Information Liaison

Palm Beach County, Florida
The Palm Beach County, FL Board of Commissioners is considering amendments to the animal ordinance that would make its extremely restrictive hobby breeder ordinance even more restrictive. Currently, a hobby breeder is defined as “ any person who intentionally or unintentionally causes or allows the breeding or studding of a dog or cat or engages in the breeding of up to two (2) litters of dogs or cats or nineteen (19) dogs or cats per household or premises per one-year period.” Proposed changes would reduce the cap to one litter of dogs or cats and eliminate the language about 19 dogs or cats. The threshold for commercial breeders
would similarly be reduced to more than one litter. If adopted, hobby breeders will have to decide whether to reduce their activities accordingly or become commercial breeders. Prior to making that decision, the breeder will want to become familiar with the commercial breeder requirements, which are also subject to amendment. Maintaining a genetically diverse program with two litters per year is exceedingly difficult; trying to do that with one litter per year guarantees the number of commercial breeders in the county, adding to the unnecessary burden borne by the County and small home breeders alike.
The proposal also seeks to amend the animals-per-acreage section of the law. As it stands, a person could have ten Great Danes without obtaining an excessive animal permit, whereas on the same property, 12 cats would be a violation. The suggested amendments would also take into consideration the type of property. It also eliminates the excessive animal permit. Among
the other changes are amendments to the dog and cat sales requirements, hold times, and facility requirements.
The Department of Public Safety, Animal Care and Control Division will be holding another public comment session on the proposed ordinance on Saturday, July 11, 2026.


Monterey County, California
County officials are poised to adopt an ordinance requiring dogs and cats in the county’s unincorporated areas to be sterilized. Ordinance 26-008 has revised the sterilization exemptions in Ordinance 26-005, added unaltered animal certificates and breeder permits. Anyone who allows a dog or cat kept within the unincorporated areas of the county to breed “with the intent to sell, gift, or transfer the offspring for money” must first obtain an annual breeder permit. The Animal Control Officer will establish program procedures, including limiting the number of permits that can be issued in a given year. Permits will not be issued for animals
under one year of age or over seven years of age. Ordinance 26-008 was presented at the June 23rd County of Monterey Board meeting, with a motion to introduce the ordinance, waive the first reading, and place it on the July 7, 2026, meeting consent agenda for final approval (it may be removed from the consent agenda upon request). The Board unanimously adopted the motion.


Honolulu, Hawaii
Hawaiians faced several attempts to get a mandatory spay/neuter law enacted at the state level. One concern about making sterilization mandatory for all cat- and dog-owning residents was the high cost of sterilization surgery that pet owners are facing these days. Honolulu is developing rules and regulations for its spay/neuter program. Prices range from $100 to $450
for city residents. The fees may increase depending on the pet’s age and weight. The proposed rules also authorize much lower fees for homeless and low-income residents meeting certain conditions. As residents can anticipate future mandatory spay/neuter efforts, fanciers may want to monitor proposed rules for the city’s spay/neuter program and require transparency to evaluate the program’s effectiveness. Honolulu’s Department of Customer Service is seeking public input at an in-person public hearing on July 9, 2026. The draft rules and more information are available here.

What’s Hot … Mid-session Updates: FL, GA, HI, IA, and MD

 

Kelly Crouch, CFA Legislative Information Liaison

Florida
There have been many attempts over the past 29 years to regulate dog breeders in the state. Once again, those efforts died when SB 1356 and HB 1521 failed to progress.
Senate Bill 1004 amends the consumer protection laws governing pet sales and animal cruelty. It has been enrolled and sent to the governor. If enacted, the pet dealer threshold is raised to selling more than three litters or 30 dogs or cats per year, record-
keeping requirements are added for all pet dealers, and best management practices are established for dog breeders. The bill was signed by the governor.

Georgia
Senate Bill 590 would have expanded regulations on dog breeders had it been enacted. Cat breeders would not have been impacted. Georgia has one of the most restrictive cat and dog breeder laws in the country. Fortunately, the bill died and will not carry over into 2027.

Hawaii
Several bills were introduced in Hawaii that would have burdened cat and dog breeders. House Bill
1594 and SB 3012 would prohibit intact cats and dogs from being imported unless the breeder was registered with the
Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity. House Bill 1736-2 would establish a spay/neuter fund at the cost of mandating the sterilization of all cats. Any free-roaming cats caught and sterilized could only be placed in sanctuaries. Fortunately, all these bills died and will not carry over to 2027. Fanciers should expect renewed efforts in 2027.

Iowa
Senate Bill 2306 would have subjected “commercial” breeders to inspection. It would have defined a commercial breeder as “a
person, engaged in the business of breeding dogs or cats, who sells, exchanges, or leases dogs or cats in return for consideration, or who offers to do so, whether or not the animals are raised, trained, groomed, or boarded by the person. A person who owns or harbors three or fewer breeding males or females is not a commercial breeder.” It died.

Maryland
House Bill 1551 died when the legislature adjourned. The bill would have established the Dog Breeder Accountability
Fund and imposed mandates on dog breeders, including requiring that every puppy be issued a birth certificate by the state.

What’s Hot … European Union Welfare of Dogs and Cats and Their Traceability Legislation is Informally Approved

 

Kelly Crouch, CFA Legislative Information Liaison

The Welfare of Dogs and Cats and Their Traceability Legislation is one large step closer to becoming law. Originally proposed in 2023, the legislation will impact fanciers, breeders, pet sellers, animal shelters, and pet owners across the European Union. It creates standards for breeding, housing, traceability, import, and handling of cats and dogs.

The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union negotiated hundreds of amendments to the act. They approved the legislation in an informal plenary vote, with 558 in favor, 35 against, and 52 abstentions (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20251121IPR31539/protection-of-dogs-and-cats-deal-on-eu-rules-to-stop-abuse). The first EU-wide animal law needs only to be adopted by the Council to be enforced.

Provisions include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Breeding between parents and offspring, grandparents with grandchildren, and between siblings and half-siblings will be prohibited.
  • Breeding cats and dogs to cause exaggerated or excessive physical traits that “lead to significant health risks” is also banned.
  • Animals with such traits or that are “mutilated” cannot be used in shows, exhibitions, or competitions.
  • Mandatory microchipping and registration in a national database of all cats and dogs in the EU.
  • Imported cats and dogs, whether for sale or not, must be microchipped and registered in a national database.
  • National databases within the EU must be interoperable.

Member States are responsible for enforcement, but may have more restrictive laws if they so desire.

What’s Hot: Hobby Breeders Targeted in Missouri Bill …. and, in other news, Florida Pet Dealer Requirements may be Subject to Change

 

Kelly Crouch, CFA Legislative Information Liaison

Missouri regulates breeders, shelters, dealers, and pet shops under the 1992 Animal Care Facilities Act (AFCA). The proposed HB 2567 aims to redefine commercial and hobby breeders and remove the exemption benefiting hobby breeders, which could significantly affect their breeding programs.

If enacted, the commercial breeder definition would no longer exclude hobby or show breeders. Hobby breeders would no longer be limited to noncommercial breeders. The critical change for hobby breeders would be the repeal of §273.342 (2). This section of AFCA requires that hobby or show breeders register annually, but are exempt from the licensure and inspection requirements of §§ 273.325 – 373.357. Should HB 2567 be enacted, the only breeders exempt from the AFCA licensing requirements are those who harbor three or less intact females.

The Missouri legislative session runs from January 7 through May 30, 2026. House Bill 2567 had its first reading on the first day of the session. The second reading was held the next day, on January 8. Currently, there are no cosponsors. Fanciers can review and monitor the bill’s progress here. As a member of the cat fancy, your voice is vital to protect your cats and hobby from restrictive anti-breeder legislation!

In other news… Florida Pet Dealer Requirements may be Subject to Change

Fanciers, wherever located, who place pets in Florida will want to monitor Florida Senate Bill 1356 and the related bill, SB 1004. Not only would SB 1356 affect dog breeders if this latest attempt for more restrictive legislation is enacted, but both bills would also change the record-keeping and financing requirements for pet dealers. In Florida,  a pet dealer “means any person, firm, partnership, corporation, or other association which, in the ordinary course of business, engages in the sale of more than two litters, or 20 dogs or cats, per year, whichever is greater, to the public. This definition includes breeders of animals who sell such animals directly to a consumer.”

What’s Hot: California 2025 Session Laws:  The State Enacts Laws Affecting Breeders Selling to California Purchasers and a Cat Declaw Prohibition

 

November 4, 2025

Kelly Crouch, CFA Legislative Information Liaison

California lawmakers enacted new legislation affecting all breeders, not just pet dealers, as part of their ongoing effort to block “puppy, kitten, or rabbit mill” sales into the state. The campaign began with the 2017 retail pet store prohibition, which proponents claimed would end the mill pipeline into the state by prohibiting retail pet stores from selling cats, dogs, and rabbits. As pet stores could showcase these animals for rescues, some organizations set themselves up as rescues to sell their animals, forcing the state to redefine what constitutes a rescue in 2021. After that, lawmakers focused on the new trend of bad actors importing animals to sell under the pretense that they are California-bred animals offered by small home breeders. This led to the latest round of legislation enacted in 2025. The new requirements apply to all persons, pet dealers, or businesses when the purchaser is located in California.

Assembly Bill 506 mandates that the seller must provide written notice of the original source of the animal, identify the breeder, including the USDA license number when applicable, and the state in which the animal was born. If any information is unknown, the seller must clearly state that fact. The seller must also provide a record of inoculations, worming treatments, and any veterinary treatment of the animal while in the possession of the seller.

The bill also removes a tool many breeders use to ensure the buyer is committed to the purchase —the nonrefundable deposit. Section 122227 (a) makes a contract by a person, pet dealer, or business with a purchaser located in California that requires a nonrefundable deposit void under public policy. Breeders know that as a kitten ages, fewer buyers are available, which affects its price. A nonrefundable deposit not only indicates a commitment but also compensates the seller for a loss if the buyer backs out of the sale. The Lockyer-Polanco-Farr Pet Protection Act defines a pet dealer as “a person engaging in the business of selling dogs or cats, or both, at retail, and by virtue of the sales of dogs or cats is required to possess a permit pursuant to Section 6066 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.”

In addition to AB 506, lawmakers enacted AB 519, prohibiting brokers from making a dog under one year of age, a cat, or a rabbit for adoption or sale. A broker is defined as “a person or business that sells, arranges, negotiates, or processes, either in person or online, the sale of dogs, cats, or rabbits bred by another for profit. This includes facilitating the transfer of a dog, cat, or rabbit for profit.” [Emphasis added.] The term broker does not include an animal rescue group that meets the requirements of §122365 of that chapter.

Senate Bill 312 was also enacted to close gaps in the original Retail Pet store ban, but applies only to dogs. It requires persons importing dogs for resale or change of ownership to submit a health certificate completed by a licensed veterinarian to the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

Also enacted during the 2025 session was the cat declawing bill, AB 867. This law mandates that an onychectomy, tendonectomy, surgical claw removal, or declaw, or any procedure that alters a feline’s toes, claws, or paws, be performed for therapeutic purposes only. Nail trimming and “nonsurgical scratching mitigation solutions” are not prohibited.

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