USDA/APHIS Narrows The Definition
Of A “Retail Pet Store”
O
n September 10, the Animal
and Plant Health Inspection
Service (APHIS), a division of
the United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA), held a conference
call releasing a finalized version of
new federal regulations that narrows
the definition of a “retail pet store”
with the purpose of bringing internetbased pet breeders and sellers under
the regulation of the Animal Welfare
Act (AWA).
The AWA was originally created in
order to oversee the humane treatment
of animals used in research, and was
later expanded to include transporting
and dealing animals, as well. The law
delineates who must be licensed and
subsequently adhere to regulations and
standards. Either “dealers” or “retail
pet store.” A “dealer”, in relevant part,
is someone who, in commerce for
compensation or profit “buys, or sells,
or negotiates the purchase or sale of,
(1) any dog or other animal . . . for
research, teaching, exhibition, (unless
you sell your dogs to a circus or a
dancing dog act, or a similar acti ٥