HB45 Alabama 2017 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

K.L. Brown

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2017

Title

Dog or cat breeders, Alabama Dog or Cat Breeders Commission, established, appointments made by Commissioner of Dept. of Agriculture and Industries, duties, exemptions, rule-making authority, Alabama Dog and Cat Breeders Commission Fund, established in State Treasury

Summary

HB45 would create the Alabama Dog and Cat Breeders Commission to license and regulate dog and cat breeders, set welfare standards, and enforce compliance.

What This Bill Does

It establishes the Alabama Dog and Cat Breeders Commission within the Department of Agriculture and Industries and gives it the power to license breeders for each facility. It lets the commission set breeding and care standards, require inspections and background checks, create directories and a disciplinary database, provide consumer information, establish licensing rules and fees, and require inventories and records, with exemptions for certain animals and breeders. Breeders would need to obtain licenses for each facility, renew them annually, display the license, report changes, and keep an annual inventory and other records. A dedicated fund would support administration, enforcement, consumer information, and education, with public access to the directory and disciplinary actions.

Who It Affects

• Dog and cat breeders (and controlling persons) would be regulated, licensed per facility, inspected, required to maintain inventories and records, pay fees, and could face penalties or license actions for noncompliance.
• The general public and people buying dogs or cats would gain access to a public directory of licensed breeders, consumer information about rights and complaint procedures, and clearer disclosures in advertising and sales contracts.

Key Provisions

• Establishes the Alabama Dog and Cat Breeders Commission and authorizes it to license dog and cat breeders for each facility.
• Provides exemptions for certain animals and breeders under defined conditions.
• Empowers the commission to adopt rules setting breeding and care standards, inspections, licensing requirements and fees, notifications, criminal background checks, third-party inspectors, directories and a disciplinary database, consumer information, annual inventories, and required license display and advertising disclosures.
• Authorizes denial, suspension, or revocation of breeder licenses and imposition of civil penalties for violations.
• Creates the Alabama Dog and Cat Breeders Commission Fund to pay for administration, enforcement, consumer education, and disciplinary actions, with public reporting and potential grants/donations.
• Requires licenses for each facility, annual renewals, display of licenses, and notification of changes; sets prelicense and ongoing inspection processes (with certain exemptions from prelicense inspections).
• Mandates inspections at least every 18 months, access to facilities and records, and notification to local law enforcement if animal cruelty or other crimes are found.
• Sets minimum humane handling, care, housing, and transportation standards; requires exercise, veterinary care, training, and veterinarian-approved euthanasia limits; prohibits sale before eight weeks; and requires humane health care protocols.
• Maintains public-facing breeder and disciplinary directories, plus consumer information about the act and complaint procedures.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Animals