pet stores; pet dealers

SB 1789 requires Arizona pet stores and dealers to verify that dogs and cats they sell come from U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)-licensed breeders with no recent inspection violations, by checking the USDA's animal care information system before each order. They may also obtain animals from public pounds or nonprofit humane societies without this verification. Violations can result in civil penalties up to $5,000 per incident, with repeated offenses potentially leading to a three-year court-ordered ban on selling animals from non-licensed sources. The bill also mandates that stores display the breeder's name, USDA license number, and a link to USDA information for each animal, and maintain records for two years.