OREGON PASSES BILL IMPACTING
DOG DEALERS & PET STORES
**POSSESSION LIMITED TO 50 DOGS**
The Issue.
Legislation has been enacted in Oregon impacting dog breeders, pet stores and anyone who
qualifies as a pet breeder. Persons are now prohibited from having more than 50 adult intact dogs
at a time, and anyone purchasing a dog in the state is entitled to warranty terms.
The Impact.
Limits
With the enactment of House Bill 2470, possessing, controlling or having charge of 50 intact
dogs over the age of two years is now prohibited.
Furthermore, any person in possession or control of at least 10 sexually intact dogs at least eight
months of age are subject to specific care requirements, including:
• Providing sufficient space for dogs;
• Providing enclosures meeting certain restrictions, including solid flooring;
• Maintaining detailed records for each dog;
Warranty Law
When selling a dog, a pet dealer is required to provide information about the origin of the
animal, registration information, and health information, as detailed by the bill. A “pet dealer” is
defined as anyone selling five or more litters of dogs during any one-year period
Warranties for dog purchasers are also now in place. Anyone who buys a dog which a
veterinarian certifies within 15 days of sale to have an illness or condition adversely affecting its
health, or to have died from such a condition that existed at the time of sale, is entitled to an
exchange or refund for the animal, or reimbursements for veterinary fees incurred attempting to
treat the animal. The warranty would also apply to congenital conditions that are certified by a
veterinarian within a year after the buyer acquires the dog.
Also, pet stores are now required to provide customers with information about the origin of a
dog, identifying information, a list of all medical treatment, any congenital disorder or hereditary
disease of the dog’s parents, registration information, and a statement indicating the number of
litters born in the facility in which the dog was born.
July 22, 2009
(OR H 2470)
2
Recommended Action.
Legislation limiting the number of breeding dogs a person may own is showing up in many states
across the country. This type of ban neither advances the interests of pet animals nor the public
at large. There is no correlation between the number of animals in a facility and the quality
of care those animals receive.
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