Hello All,
Public Act No. 11-187, An Act Extending Certain Pet Shop Licensee Requirements to Persons and Organizations that Import Animals for Adoption, becomes effective on October 1.
A public forum was held on September 17 in Cromwell to explain the details of the new law. The forum was sponsored by CT Votes for Animals, the ASPCA, and the New England Federation of Humane Societies. Mr. Raymond Connors, the CT Department of Agriculture's Chief Animal Control Officer, was the principal speaker.
The fact sheet below will answer most questions about the new law as it applies to people and organizations that import animals from other states and countries. Additional questions may be directed to CT Votes for Animals or to the Department of Agriculture.
Attached are copies of applicable forms that can also be downloaded from the Dept. of Agriculture web site, http://ct.gov/doag/site/default.asp (look under "featured links").
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Please note that the current Animal Importer Registration Application form has an expiration date of December 31, 2012. Applications approved for the remainder of 2011 will remain effective for the full year 2012, all for a single fee of $100.00.
Ralph Slater, Legislative Liaison
Connecticut Dog Federation
UPDATED: 10/4/2011
CT IMPORTATION LAW FACT SHEET
(Animal_Importer_Event_Notice ........ Animal_Importer_Registration_Appl )
Importer Defined
An “animal importer” is a person who brings a cat or dog into Connecticut from another state or country for the purpose of offering the animal for adoption, sale, or transfer in exchange for some form of consideration (e.g., fee, voluntary contribution, service).
Key elements generally:
· The cat or dog is brought into Connecticut.
· The owner of the cat or dog at the time the animal is brought into Connecticut does not intend to keep the animal as a personal companion but instead intends to offer the animal for adoption, sale, or transfer to a third party.
Neither a source shelter or rescue organization, nor an adopter who intends to keep a cat or dog as a personal companion, is an animal importer if the adopter owns the cat or dog at the time the animal is brought into Connecticut (e.g., the cat or dog is offered on Petfinder and adopted prior to arriving in Connecticut).
A humane relocation or delivery service provider is not an animal importer if the provider is paid by the source shelter or rescue organization, not by the adopter to whom a cat or dog is being delivered.
The law’s drafters intended that pet shops be exempt from this law as they are subject to other, more stringent regulation by the Department of Agriculture. Also, a person is not an animal importer if he/she brings a cat or dog into Connecticut for the purpose of offering to sell the animal to a pet shop if the animal is delivered directly to the pet shop. The person will not be exempt and will be considered an animal importer if he/she shops the animals around at multiple pet stores.
Annual Registration Required
Animal importers must register annually with the state Department of Agriculture. A registration is valid only until the following December 31st.
In order to register with the Department of Agriculture, the registrant must pay a $100 registration fee and submit the following information on a form provided by the department:
(1) name, mailing address, business address, telephone number, and internet address; (2) if the registrant is domiciled out-of-state, the name, Connecticut address, and phone number of a Connecticut-based agent for service of process (i.e., notification of legal action), and
(3) the number of animals brought into Connecticut during the prior year by the registrant and the state or country of origin for each animal.
Registration is contingent on compliance with any departmental requirements intended to ensure the health, safety, and humane treatment of animals.
Failure to register shall result in a fine of not more than $500.
An employee of or volunteer with a registered animal importer need not register provided the employee or volunteer is not acting on his/her own as an animal importer.
In addition, to ensure one’s regulation under the new importation law, and not under more stringent, pet shop regulations, rescuers should register as a charitable organization with the Public Charities Unit of the state Department of Consumer Protection.
Notice of Public Adoption Events
Registered animal importers must provide no less than ten days notice of any dog or cat adoption event held in an area that is open to the public and/or in an outdoor location (e.g., parking lot, shopping center) to both the Department of Agriculture and also the municipal zoning enforcement officer of the town where the adoption event will occur.
Failure to provide the required notice shall result in a fine of not more than $100 per animal offered for adoption at the event.
No notice is required prior to the transfer of a cat or dog to a foster home even if transfer occurs in an area open to the public and/or an outdoor location.
In addition, no notice is required prior to transfer of a cat or dog to an adopter who already owns the animal at the time the animal is brought into Connecticut.
Inspections
The Department of Agriculture may inspect, without a warrant, any animal imported by an animal importer or any record required to be kept by an animal importer.
The Department of Agriculture may not inspect, without a warrant, an animal importer’s private residence.
Veterinary Examinations
[Prior law: An imported cat or dog must be accompanied by a certificate of health issued within 30 days of importation into Connecticut by a licensed veterinarian. The certificate must state that the cat or dog is free from symptoms of any infectious, contagious, or communicable disease, and that the cat or dog, if 3 months of age or older, is currently vaccinated for rabies by a licensed veterinarian. The “livestock sanitary official” in the cat or dog’s state of origin must forward the health certificate to the Connecticut Department of Agriculture. A cat or dog originating from a rabies quarantine area must have the permission of the Connecticut State Veterinarian to enter Connecticut. Failure to comply with the foregoing requirements shall result in a fine of not more than $500 and/or a term of imprisonment of not more than 30 days.]
Within 48 hours of a cat or dog’s arrival in Connecticut, and prior to the animal’s adoption, sale, or transfer, an animal importer must arrange for the examination of the animal by a veterinarian licensed in Connecticut. That is, the examination itself may occur after the 48 hour period.
Also, within 90 days of the initial in-state veterinary examination – and every 90 days thereafter until adoption, sale, or transfer – an animal importer must arrange for the examination of the animal by a veterinarian licensed in Connecticut. Again, the examination itself may occur after the 90 day period.
An examination by a Connecticut-licensed veterinarian must occur no more than 15 days prior to the adoption, sale, or transfer of an imported cat or dog. In addition, an adoption, sale, or transfer may not proceed unless the examining veterinarian provides the animal importer with a written certificate stating that the cat or dog is free of any symptoms of any illness, infectious, contagious, or communicable disease. The certificate must list the animal importer’s name, address, and contact information.
Failure to comply with the foregoing veterinary examination requirements shall result in a fine of not more than $500 for each animal who is the subject of the violation.
Recordkeeping
Animal importers must retain for 3 years a record of veterinary services provided to each imported cat and dog.
Failure to maintain these required records shall result in a fine of not more than $500.
Prohibited Acts
No person, firm, or corporation may import or export a cat or dog under the age of 8 weeks for the purpose of adoption, sale, or transfer unless the animal is transported with his/her dam.
No person, firm, or corporation may sell or offer for adoption or transfer within Connecticut any cat or dog under the age of 8 weeks.
Failure to comply with the foregoing requirements shall result in a fine of not more than $500 and/or a term of imprisonment of not more than 30 days.
Note: The above information was provided by Connecticut Votes for Animals during a public forum in Cromwell, Connecticut on September 17, 2011 relative to Public Act No. 11-187. The effective date of that act is October 1, 2011.
UPDATED: 10/4/2011
ANNUAL MEETING - Notice PDF - Word
Monday September 26, 2011 at Sheraton Four Points Hotel
275 Research Drive Meriden CT 06450
in the Silver City Sports Bar & Grill Room
for directions and complete menu
www.silvercitysportsbarandgrill.com
5:30 cocktails - cash bar
6:00 order from menu (separate checks will be given)
7:00 General Meeting
7:30 Program
We are enjoying meeting at the Sheraton and are fortunate to enjoy the good service and food they offer. Please note that drink orders will not be taken from people arriving while dinner orders are taken.
Voting on nominations for the coming year will take place that evening.
We welcome Dr. Debbie Gross Saunders, DPT,MPT, OCS, CCRP, who will present a program on Rehabilitation and Conditioning of Canines that evening. She is from The Wizard of Paws Physical Rehabilitation located in Colchester CT and has been a Physical Therapist for over 21 years. We look forward to this program and sharing it with you and your guests.
Please mark your calendar for Monday, Sept.. 26th..
Respectfully,
Ellen Kieffer Corresponding Secretary
UPDATED: 9/20/2011
The Connecticut Dog Federation is an association of dog clubs within the state. Its member clubs represent all phases of the world of purebred dogs.
The Federation has developed this site as a means of communication with our member clubs. Our goal is to be able to alert the dog fancier with the latest legislation activity & other news.
BENEFITS OF CDF MEMBERSHIP
· Club members are eligible to be listed in the CDF Breed Information Directory. (Going on line in 2007)
· Club members are encouraged to attend programs at CDF meetings and CDF seminars.
· Clubs will soon be able to access the CDF Match Show and Sweepstakes Judges Directory on Line.
· Clubs will be kept informed of legislative matters pertaining to the dog fancy.
· Clubs may request referral assistance from CDF on matters which other member clubs may have experienced and successfully dealt with.
· Clubs may list their Point Shows, Matches, and other special interest events.
PLEASE DONATE TO THE CDF LEGAL FUND
Help protect our rights to breed and even own dogs! Please support the Connecticut Dog Federation's Legal Fund. This Fund pays our lobbyist to monitor the State of Connecticut Legislature when in session for any bills that might affect dogs and their owners/keepers.
This is very important to protect our right to breed or own dogs. When needed, our Lobbyist knows the correct approaches and the correct people to discuss our views with to support good legislation or to ward off any legislation that might be injurious to our best interests. This is very expensive, but also very necessary.
These donations are tax deductible, as we have received our non-profit status from the IRS.
All donations, unless otherwise indicated, will be acknowledged.
Please make your check payable to: Connecticut Dog Federation, Inc. & send to the CDF Treasurer at the address below.
Our Mailing addresses are:
Legal Fund:
Ed Lyons - Treasurer, 32 Parker Road, Somers, CT 06071
To Contact CDF Officials
Regular Business:
Connecticut Dog Federation, Inc., 78 Webster Hill Boulevard
West Hartford , CT 06107
To Contact a CDF Member Club
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