Duff and Kupchick Co-Chair Puppy Mill Task Force

A bi-partisan task force to examine pet shop cat and dog sales in Connecticut held its first meeting Wednesday in Hartford.  

The task force was established as a result of Amendment #8543 to H.B. 5027, which passed in the final days of Connecticut’s legislative session.

Co-chair of the task force, Rep. Brenda Kupchick (R-Fairfield), sponsored the amendment, which called for the creation of a task force to include experts to examine the inhumane treatment of dogs and cats in breeding facilities that sell to Connecticut pet shops.  

A report will be submitted to the Environment Committee for the 2014 Legislative for a public hearing to decide whether pet shops should be required to sell only dogs and cats humanely-sourced from shelters and rescue organizations.  

Currently, Connecticut has 130 Pet stores, 18 sell puppies and kittens. 

“With the creation of this task force I'm hopeful all pets Connecticut residents include in their families come from humane sources," Rep. Kupchick said in a release.

Rep. Kupchick proposed an amendment to H.B. 5027 that garnered wide bipartisan support and would have required that as of January 1, 2016 only dogs and cats obtained from public shelters or incorporated rescues be sold in the state’s pet shops. 

The bill was amended to create the task force that will examine the issue of "Puppy Mills" and provide a detailed report to the Environment Committee for the 2014 legislative session.  Both measures had full support of The CT Humane Society, ASPCA and Connecticut Votes for Animals.

Senator Bob Duff (D-25) will co-chair the task force with Rep. Kupchick (R-132).  

Kupchick supports the sale and adoption of dogs and cats from local breeders or local shelters and rescues where consumers have accountability, according to her release. 

Appointed members of the task force include,  Deb Bresch, Senior State Director ASPCA, Dr. Arnold Goldman, CT Veterinary Medical Association, Senator John McKinney (R-28), Amy Harrell, CT Votes for Animals, Laurie Ann Maulucci, local breeder, Rep. Auden Grogins, (D-129), a representative of the PIJAC, Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council and the Department of Agriculture, Ray Conners.