UPDATE: HB 131 has passed the House and is moving to the Senate! THANK YOU to everyone who reached out to their representatives to help make this historic Delaware milestone possible!
Tomorrow, Delaware lawmakers vote on House Bill 131, a bold piece of legislation that prohibits the retail sale of dogs and cats in pet stores, markets, and auctions throughout our state. This bill represents a meaningful step toward protecting animals and consumers… and we at Humane Animal Partners proudly support it!
What Does HB 131 Do?
At its core, HB 131 would end the commercial sale of puppies in Delaware pet stores and other retail outlets. Instead of transactions that fuel the puppy mill pipeline, pet stores could:
- Partner with shelters and rescue groups to showcase animals available for adoption (as our wonderful friends at Concord Pet, PetSmart and Petco already do.)
- Continue selling pet products and services that support animal care.
This shift helps eliminate a major outlet for inhumane commercial breeders and redirects demand toward humane sources like shelters, rescues, and responsible breeders.
Why Is This Important?
1. Puppy Mills = Cruelty
Many puppies sold in pet stores across the U.S. come from large-scale commercial breeding operations — puppy mills — where profit outweighs animal welfare. These facilities often keep mothers in cramped, unsanitary con
ditions with little veterinary care.
By cutting off retail outlets that buy from mills, HB 131 reduces the market for these cruel operations.
2. We are Already Experiencing an Overpopulation Crisis
6-8 million dogs and cats enter the US shelter system annually. Unlike Delaware, the majority of states do not operate by no-kill standards, with more than 50% of animals entering the shelter system being euthanized for space. HB 131 encourages adoption and ethical breeding, which will certainly have an impact on these numbers.
3. Consumers Are Paying the Price
The Humane Society of the United States’ 2023 Puppy Buyer Complaints Summary looked at their direct buyer complaints over a 15-year period (2007-2022). The data shows:
- More than 7,800 consumer reports related to unhealthy or misrepresented puppies
- Buyers suffered emotional distress, financial burden, or loss after discovering their puppy was seriously ill or genetically compromised.
- Many families incurred thousands of dollars in veterinary bills trying to save puppies with congenital conditions, and in some cases, the puppies died.
- Nearly half of these complaints involved puppies purchased from pet stores or online sellers.
This heartbreaking reality shows that the issue is not just about animals… it’s about people, families, and the wellbeing of our communities.
4. Consumer Protection Matters
In Delaware, we’ve seen pet stores that finance puppy purchases through predatory lenders charging extremely high interest rates, trapping families in debt for a companion animal that may not even be healthy. HB 131 helps protect Delawareans from these unfair practices.
5. We Are Next to a Major Puppy Mill Hub
Pennsylvania’s Lancaster County is one of the largest concentrations of commercial puppy mills in the United States. The closer these mills are to our state, the more urgent it becomes to eliminate retail demand that fuels their livelihood.
a Progressive, Humane Solution
Some states and cities have tried to regulate puppy sales without fully stopping them — but experience shows that partial regulations fail to sufficiently protect animals or consumers. That’s why the strongest laws, including those in states like Maryland, have moved from regulations to total bans on retail sales of dogs and cats.
HB 131 isn’t unique — over 500 cities and 8 states nationwide have already passed similar bans — reflecting a growing consensus that this is a humane and effective approach.
What You Can Do Today
This bill goes to the House floor for a vote tomorrow, and your voice matters now more than ever.
Find your Delaware legislator and contact them today — ask them to vote YES on HB 131 for the welfare of animals and the protection of Delaware families.
Connect with your representative here:
https://legis.delaware.gov/FindMyLegislator
Draft a quick message or use your own words to let them know:
- You support HB 131.
- You want Delaware to stand with shelters, rescues, and responsible breeders — not puppy mills.
- Protecting pets protects people too.
Our state has a chance to be part of a compassionate wave of change. Let’s make sure Delaware leads the way!
Together, we can make sure every puppy is healthy, loved, and free from cruelty.
