New Illinois Law Protects Potential Pet Owners

There are truth in lending laws and laws that say that a used car dealer must accurately disclose the amount of miles that are on the used car that you buy. If you buy a house you do a title search to make sure that the title is legitimate.

When you sign a contract to buy something, the seller is obligated to disclose how much in finance charges you will be paying over the term of the loan. But a lot of these safeguards don't go far enough and it's still "buyer beware" in a lot of cases.

There has been a lot of controversy lately about where pet stores get their puppies. A lot of them come from "puppy mills" where the conditions are unsanitary and the pups can end up being very sick when you adopt them. Even some animal shelters won't tell you about the animal's past behavioral problems or whether they have been sick before.

But now the state of Illinois has just passed a new law that may help consumers be sure of what they are getting when they adopt a pet. According to Southwest Illinois News Today:

"The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) is reminding the public about a new law designed to protect consumers by requiring pet stores, animal shelters and animal controls to disclose certain information before they sell or adopt out cats and dogs."

The law basically states that a consumer has the right to know about any prior medical conditions that animal may have had and where it was bred. House Bill 5772 (Public Act 96-1470) was signed into law a few months ago. It is an addition to the Animal welfare Act.

Just like the required sticker on the windows of used cars, the act requires that a note be posted near the dog's cage that lists the following information:

The retail price of the animal. This includes any additional charges like spaying and neutering, shots, etc.

The age of the animal as well as its date of birth. A general description of the dog including its color and its sex.

A history of inoculations and any health problems it may have had in the past.

The name and address of the breeder.

Any shots or medical attention that the animal received while it was at the pet store or facility.

This may help keep you from buying an animal that may be sick or diseased and hopefully cut down on some of the abuses at the puppy mills. Maybe they will take better care of them if they know that the puppy has to be in good health before they can sell it.

Source: http://www.swi-news.com/