A 8653 New York Assembly · 2025 Regular Session

Relates to pet breeders; repealer

This bill amends definitions in New York's General Business Law regarding pet dealers, brokers, and retail pet shops. It clarifies that "pet dealer" excludes animal shelters, humane societies, rescue organizations, and public animal care authorities - allowing them to continue adoptions without being classified as dealers. It also defines "broker" as entities facilitating dog/cat/rabbit sales between breeders and buyers, and specifies that retail pet shops cannot sell or transfer dogs/cats/rabbits directly (though they may host shelter animals for adoption). The changes primarily affect small-scale breeders selling from home, pet shops, and animal welfare organizations by updating regulatory boundaries.

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

May 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced May 22, 2025 Last action May 20, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

A8653B → A8653C · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill raises the annual sales threshold for a 'pet breeder' from nine to twenty-five animals and adds a new exemption for animal shelters. It also reorganizes the bill's structure by moving the definition of 'person' and expanding the list of entities exempt from transfer prohibitions.

Scope change

The definition of 'pet breeder' now applies to fewer small-scale breeders, while explicitly including animal shelters as entities allowed to transfer animals for profit under specific conditions.

DEFINITION

The definition of a 'pet breeder' was changed to allow selling up to twenty-five animals per year instead of nine, making it easier for small breeders to operate legally.

The definition of 'pet breeder' was updated to explicitly prohibit the sale of dogs, cats, or rabbits that were not born and raised on the breeder's premises.

The definition of 'person' was moved from Section 3 to Section 5 to reorganize the bill's structure.

ELIGIBILITY

Animal shelters were added to the list of entities exempt from the general prohibition on transferring dogs, cats, and rabbits for profit.

Floor votes

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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 20, 2026

Committee

REPORTED REFERRED TO RULES

lower

Apr 27, 2026

Committee

REPORTED REFERRED TO CODES

lower

Apr 23, 2026

Lower · Passed

PRINT NUMBER 8653C

lower

Apr 23, 2026

Lower · Passed

AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO AGRICULTURE

lower

Mar 26, 2026

Lower · Passed

PRINT NUMBER 8653B

lower

Mar 26, 2026

Lower · Passed

AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO AGRICULTURE

lower

Mar 9, 2026

Lower · Passed

PRINT NUMBER 8653A

lower

Mar 9, 2026

Lower · Passed

AMEND (T) AND RECOMMIT TO AGRICULTURE

lower

Jan 7, 2026

Committee

REFERRED TO AGRICULTURE

lower

May 22, 2025

Committee

REFERRED TO AGRICULTURE

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors