SB 914 - This act creates the Healthy Pet Act. Pet dealers are required to have their dogs and cats examined by a licensed veterinarian no greater than 30 days prior to sale. The act requires that pet dealers provide a written statement to the purchaser of any dog or cat containing certain facts about the animal's birth, breeding, physical traits, and medical history. The written statement shall also include a statement signed by both the pet dealer and the purchaser that the animal has no known disease, illness, or adverse health condition or the statement shall alternatively disclose any known disease, illness or adverse health condition.
The act requires pet dealers to maintain certain records for up to 12 months following the date of sale of any dog or cat.
Pet dealers are prohibited from selling any dog or cat with any obvious clinical sign of an infectious, contagious, parasitic, or communicable disease or with any condition for which hospitalization or nonelective surgery is required.
Individuals who unknowingly purchase a sick dog or cat are entitled to a remedy from the pet dealer when: within 20 days of the purchase, a licensed veterinarian states in writing that the animal suffers from or has died from a condition that existed on or before the date of purchase; or within 2 years of the purchase, a licensed veterinarian states in writing that the animal possesses or has died from a congenital or hereditary condition for which hospitalization or nonelective surgery was required. Available remedies to the purchaser of such a sick dog or cat are provided in the act.
In order to receive a remedy, a purchaser of a sick dog or cat must, within 10 days of receiving the veterinarian's diagnosis, notify the pet dealer and provide a written statement from the veterinarian to the pet dealer. The act lists certain information that must be included in the veterinarian's statement.
Remedies are not required to be provided by a pet dealer to a purchaser of a sick dog or cat if: the illness or death of the pet resulted from maltreatment by the purchaser or from an event that occurred after the pet's purchase from the dealer; the purchaser did not administer veterinarian-recommended treatment for the illness (except when the cost of treatment plus the exam fee exceeds the pet's purchase price); the pet's illness or condition was disclosed at time of purchase; or if the purchaser does not return all registration documents to the pet dealer if the pet is returned for refund or exchange.
If a pet dealer disputes a purchaser's request for a remedy under this act, the pet dealer can have the animal examined by a licensed veterinarian of his or her choosing.
The act requires pet dealers to post a statement about consumers rights under this act and specifies requirements for the size and wording of the notification. Pet dealers and purchasers of dogs and cats are also required to sign a statement at the time of purchase that the purchaser was provided notification of his or her rights under this act. The act requires certain additional notification provided to purchasers of pets sold as being "registered" or able to be registered.
The act does not limit any authority under other laws.
Pet dealers who advertise any animal as being registered or able to be registered with an animal registering organization shall provide the purchaser of any such animal the appropriate registration documents within 120 days of the date of purchase.
ERIKA JAQUES