Massachusetts is one House vote away from shutting down the puppy-mill-to-pet-shop pipeline for good — and it needs a push to get there.

The PETS Act would ban retail pet shops from selling dogs and cats, with fines of up to $5,000 for violations. Pet shops could still partner with shelters and rescue organizations to showcase animals for adoption. The Massachusetts Senate passed the bill unanimously in March 2026. It now sits in the House Ways and Means Committee, where it must advance before a full House vote.

Pet shops that sell puppies and kittens are most often stocked by high-volume commercial breeders — known as puppy mills — where animals are routinely kept in cruel conditions to maximize profit. Maine, New York, and Vermont have already passed similar bans. Boston passed its own Puppy Mill Bill back in 2016.

"Through our animal shelters, veterinary hospitals, and humane law enforcement work, the MSPCA-Angell sees firsthand the impact that inhumane practices have on the animals we share our lives and spaces with," said Kara Holmquist, Director of Advocacy at MSPCA-Angell.

The Senate voted unanimously. The evidence is clear. The only thing standing between Massachusetts families and puppy-mill-free pet stores is a House vote.

We are calling on the Massachusetts House Ways and Means Committee to advance the PETS Act immediately, and on the full House to pass it so Governor Healey can sign it into law.

Sign to ban the sale of dogs and cats in Massachusetts pet shops.