Gov. Hochul signs ban on puppy mills

Gov. Hochul signs ban on puppy mills

FILE - New York Gov. Kathy Hochul speaks at an event, Friday, Dec. 10, 2021, in New York. Gov. Hochul said she wants New York to impose term limits on her office and other statewide elected officials and ban them from earning an outside income, changes that implicitly rebuke her predecessor Andrew Cuomo, in a statement issued Monday, Jan. 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)

Gov. Hochul signed a puppy mill ban into law on Thursday.

The legislation will end the retail sale of dogs, cats and rabbits in pet stores across the state.

The Puppy Mill Pipeline Bill was designed to close puppy mills that supply some pet stores and put an end to what the governor’s office referred to as “abusive breeders.”

The legislation takes effect in 2024 and will allow pet stores to charge shelters rent to use their space for adoptions.

(AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)