Section 22-354 - Imported dogs and cats. Certificates of health. Importation from rabies quarantine area. Sale of young puppies and kittens. Sale of dogs by pet shop licensees. Certificate of origin required. Purchase of dog or cat from outside of state. Penalties(a) Any dog or cat imported into this state shall be accompanied by a certificate of health issued no earlier than thirty days prior to the date of importation by a licensed, graduate veterinarian accredited by the United States Department of Agriculture stating that such dog or cat is free from symptoms of any infectious, contagious or communicable disease, and that such dog or cat, if three months of age or older, is currently vaccinated for rabies by a licensed veterinarian. A copy of such health certificate shall be forwarded promptly to the commissioner from the livestock sanitary official of the state of origin. Any dog or cat originating from a rabies quarantine area shall have permission of the State Veterinarian prior to importation into this state. No person, firm or corporation shall import or export for the purposes of sale, adoption or transfer or offering for sale, adoption or transfer any dog or cat under the age of eight weeks unless such dog or cat is transported with its dam and no person, firm or corporation shall sell or offer for adoption or transfer within the state any dog or cat under the age of eight weeks. Any person, firm or corporation violating the provisions of this subsection or bringing any dog or cat into this state from an area under quarantine for rabies shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars.(b) Any dog sold or offered for sale by a pet shop licensee in this state shall be accompanied by a certificate of origin identifying the name and address of the person, firm or corporation that bred such dog and of any person, firm or corporation that sold such dog to such pet shop licensee. Such certificate shall be in a form as prescribed by the Commissioner of Agriculture. Such information contained in the certificate of origin shall be posted on the sign described in section 22-344d and such information shall be visible to customers. A copy of such certificate shall be provided to the purchaser of such dog at the time of sale and shall be filed by such licensee with the Department of Agriculture not later than seven days after such sale. No pet shop licensee shall purchase a dog or cat for resale or sell or offer for sale any dog or cat purchased from: (1) Any breeder that (A) is not in possession of a current license issued by the United States Department of Agriculture and any applicable state agency, (B) was found to have committed a direct violation of pet dealer-related regulations of the United States Department of Agriculture during the two-year period prior to such purchase, or (C) was found to have committed three or more indirect violations of pet dealer-related regulations of the United States Department of Agriculture during the two-year period prior to such purchase provided such violations pertained to the health or welfare of an animal and were not administrative in nature; or(2) any other person, firm or corporation that: (A) Is not in possession of a current license issued by the United States Department of Agriculture and any applicable state agency,(B) was found to have committed a direct violation of pet dealer-related regulations of the United States Department of Agriculture during the two-year period prior to such purchase,(C) was found to have committed three or more indirect violations of pet dealer-related regulations of the United States Department of Agriculture during the two-year period prior to such purchase provided such violations pertained to the health or welfare of an animal and were not administrative in nature, or(D) directly or indirectly, has obtained such dog or cat from a breeder described in subdivision (1) of this subsection. Any pet shop licensee violating the provisions of this subsection shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars for each violation. Each day a pet shop licensee is in violation of this subsection shall constitute a separate offense.Conn. Gen. Stat. § 22-354
(1951, S. 713b; 1953, S. 1837d; 1957, P.A. 74, S. 2; 1963, P.A. 613, S. 25; P.A. 74-22; P.A. 91-46 , S. 5 , 12 ; P.A. 96-243 , S. 14 , 16 ; P.A. 04-145 , S. 2 ; P.A. 09-228 , S. 3 ; P.A. 10-100 , S. 2 ; P.A. 11-187 , S. 3 ; P.A. 14-77 , S. 4 .)
Amended by P.A. 23-0017, S. 7 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2023 Regular Session, eff. 7/1/2023.Amended by P.A. 14-0077, S. 4 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2014 Regular Session, eff. 10/1/2014.Amended by P.A. 11-0187, S. 3 of the the 2011 Regular Session, eff. 10/1/2011.Amended by P.A. 10-0100, S. 2 of the February 2010 Regular Session, eff. 10/1/2010.Amended by P.A. 09-0228, S. 3 of the the 2009 Regular Session, eff. 7/1/2009.