Kelsey HamborWe’re almost there! Today the pet store bill passed the Minnesota Senate with 41 yes votes (and 26 no votes), and we are feeling incredibly hopeful.
We won’t lie — it was nerve-wracking watching the votes roll in. But the final count spoke for itself, and this is a huge step forward for dogs and cats across Minnesota.
A heartfelt thank you to Senator Dibble, Humane World for Animals Minnesota State Director Aaron Zellhoefer, and everyone who has poured their time and energy into making this happen. This win belongs to all of you.
What’s Next?
The bill now heads to the House for a vote. If it passes there, it goes into effect August 1, 2026. We need to keep the momentum going — stay engaged, stay loud, and keep showing up.
What the Bill Does
- Prohibits the opening of new pet stores from selling cats and dogs
- Allows pet stores to host adoption events for rescues
- Requires stores currently selling cats and dogs to meet new transparency standards, including:
- Selling only from state-licensed or USDA-licensed breeders (we acknowledge these standards are far from perfect, but this is a step in the right direction)
- Displaying the breeder’s license number on each animal’s enclosure
- Disclosing all state and federal breeder inspection reports from the past 3 years
- A three-strike rule — stores that violate the new regulations three times can no longer sell dogs or cats
Get Involved
All are welcome to attend upcoming hearings! Follow Minnesotans Exposing the Pet Trade for the latest news and updates, and stay in the loop with ARC for ways to keep pushing this bill across the finish line.
The animals are counting on us — let’s see this through! 🐕🐈
