While those of you in California have to be concerned with Frag swaps, hobbyists in Massachusetts might get a little something extra if a new proposed bill goes through. House Bill 192 would require pet shops to provide basic care information to purchasers of certain animals including live animals in the saltwater industry. For those pet store owners that operate in Massachusetts they might remember a form of this bill in 2007 and 2008 as this bill made no progress in the legislature. Specifically the bill states that “Every person engaged in the business of operating a pet shop and selling pet animals on the premises, shall display and provide free basic care information on… fish sold on the premises. The care information shall be developed with and approved by the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Veterinary Medicine and contained on at least one 8 ½ by 11-inch sheet of paper that shall be provided free of charge to consumers.†The data and content on the cards would have to be approved by The Massachusetts
Board of Registration of Veterinary Medicine.
Receiving a 8 1/2 by 11 inch of paper full of care information for fish, corals (we are assuming inverts too) would probably be a good idea for those newbies out there, but then again most shouldn’t be buying the livestock they are anyway. This bill does bring up some interesting questions, like who would make the care sheet? The state of Massachusetts or the pet store owner? What about internet retailers? Are they required to provide a care sheet when shipping to the state? Drop down below for the full proposed bill. What do you think?
HOUSE No. 192
THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
In the Year Two Thousand and Nine.
PRESENTED BY:
Demetrius J. Atsalis
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in
General Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the passage of the accompanying bill:
PETITION OF:
Name: District/Address:
Demetrius J. Atsalis
Second Barnstable
Kevin Aguiar 7th Bristol
AN ACT REQUIRING PET SHOP OWNERS TO PROVIDE BASIC PET CARE INFORMATION TO
CONSUMERS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the
authority of the same, as follows:
SECTION 1. Chapter 129 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby
amended by inserting after section 39A, the following section 39A:-
Section 39A. Every person engaged in the business of operating a pet shop and selling pet animals on
the premises, shall display and provide free basic care information on all birds, mammals, reptiles,
amphibians and fish sold on the premises. The care information shall be developed with and approved by
the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Veterinary Medicine and contained on at least one 8 by 11-
inch sheet of paper that shall be provided free of charge to consumers.
