OPPOSE TEXAS STATEWIDE RESCUE MANDATE ON PET STORES

Texas HB3458 - a state-wide ban on retail pet stores selling purpose bred puppies from licensed, regulated breeders is also a  "Rescue Mandate" on retail pet stores -- mandating that they, instead, source their puppies to sell from rescues and shelters with NO regulatory oversight. 

Texas HB3458 is a deeply flawed policy that unfairly targets lawful, licensed pet stores while handing exclusive market control to unregulated animal rescue organizations.

TX HB3458  does not improve animal welfare—instead, it eliminates consumer choice, reduces transparency, and forces pet stores to operate under outrageous, government-imposed restrictions that prohibit them from making a profit on the very animals they are required to offer.

HB3458 Eliminates Consumer Choice & Transparency

• By banning pet stores from selling professionally bred dogs and cats, the bill forces consumers to obtain pets only from shelters and rescues—organizations that lack the regulatory oversight applied to licensed breeders and retailers.
• Licensed breeders follow strict USDA and state standards for animal care, while rescues are not subject to the same level of scrutiny. This means consumers receive little to no information about an animal’s health history, breeding background, or potential genetic disorders.

Creates a Monopoly for Unregulated Rescues    

• TX HB3458 gives shelters and rescues a government-sanctioned monopoly, allowing them to sell pets in stores while banning reputable pet stores from offering healthy, well-bred animals from professional breeders.
• Many rescues import animals from out of state and even internationally, increasing the risk of disease outbreaks and behavioral issues in adopted pets.

Harms Small Businesses & Responsible Breeders

• Texas pet stores play a crucial role in connecting families with responsibly bred pets. HB3458 effectively puts them out of business while allowing unregulated rescues to take their place.
• By restricting pet sales to rescues, reputable breeders lose a key avenue to reach prospective pet owners, further driving demand toward underground and out-of-state sources.
• Fails to Address the root cause of shelter overcrowding.

Sets a Dangerous Precedent for Animal Ownership Rights

• TX HB3458 is part of a larger agenda by animal rights extremists, namely Texas Humane Legislative Network and Humane World for Animals (formerly HSUS) to eliminate commercial breeding altogether.
• Consumers should have the right to choose where they obtain a pet, whether from a responsible breeder, a shelter, or a pet store.

TEXAS lawmakers should reject this unfair and overreaching “Rescue Mandate” and instead focus on fair, transparent policies that promote responsible pet ownership without destroying small businesses.

Texas should regulate rescues and shelters with the same standards imposed on breeders and pet stores to ensure true consumer protection and animal welfare—not legislate pet stores out of business.