On Thursday, February 18th, Maryland’s Senate Finance Committee will consider Senate Bill 505 to ban the pet store sale of dogs less than nine months of age. While stopping the resale of puppies that come from puppy mills is certainly necessary, the National Pet Association opposes SB 505 as a means to do so.

The National Pet Association advocates adoption as the first option to be considered by any new pet owner. In times when adoption simply isn’t an option, Marylanders deserve to be able to purchase puppies from reputable retail establishments within the state. While it’s certain that some pet stores selling puppies are far from “reputable”, SB 505 makes no exception for any pet store that desires to achieve excellence for their customers and the puppies that they would sell.

Along with limiting the choice of responsible pet owners, SB 505 could limit the ability of many decent, hard working Maryland residents to obtain a puppy under nine months of age. By eliminating pet stores as a regular source for puppies, nonprofits exempted by SB 505 will inevitably fill that void within the state. Many of these organizations have adoption requirements that mandate a “home inspection” in order to adopt a puppy. For Marylanders that want to own a puppy but would rather not have strangers invading the privacy of their homes, SB 505 leaves them with few options. Also, with no state regulation of adoption fees, organizations that are exempt from SB 505 could use fees to arbitrarily discriminate against Maryland’s citizens. Adoption fees could be set prohibitively high for citizens from poorer neighborhoods if an organization felt that poorer families will somehow not meet their standard of care.

Please make a couple of quick phone calls to the members of the Finance committee listed below. Politely ask them to oppose SB 505 that bans the pet store sale of dogs less than nine months of age so that responsible Maryland pet owners can have fair and reasonable choices. Explain that ending the mistreatment of dogs in puppy mills is an extremely important issue that should be addressed by legislation that specifically penalizes or shuts down those facilities instead of limiting the options of Maryland’s current and future pet owners. If you have an extra moment, please also send an email message to each committee member urging for their opposition to this measure.

Thank you for your compassion and action on behalf of pets and responsible pet owners.

Regards,
Adam Wysocki
The National Pet Association

Maryland State Senate Finance Committee Members

Thomas M. Middleton (Committee Chair) - (410) 841-3616
thomas.mclain.middleton@senate.state.md.us

John C. Astle (Committee Vice Chair) - (410) 841-3578
john.astle@senate.state.md.us

George W. Della, Jr. - (410) 841-3600
george.della@senate.state.md.us

Allan H. Kittleman - (410) 841-3671
allan.kittleman@senate.state.md.us

Nathaniel Exum - (410) 841-3148
nathaniel.exum@senate.state.md.us

Rob Garagiola - (410) 841-3169
rob.garagiola@senate.state.md.us

Barry Glassman - (410) 841-3603
barry.glassman@senate.state.md.us

Delores G. Kelley - (410) 841-3606
delores.kelley@senate.state.md.us

Katherine Klausmeier - (410) 841-3620
katherine.klausmeier@senate.state.md.us

E. J. Pipkin - (410) 841-3639
ej.pipkin@senate.state.md.us

Catherine E. Pugh - (410) 841-3656
catherine.pugh@senate.state.md.us