Check how old is your pet in human years using our Pet Age Calculator.
A federal appeals court has reaffirmed the legality of a Maryland law that prohibits the sale of dogs and cats in retail pet stores, dismissing a challenge from Missouri dog breeders and pet store owners in Maryland.
This ruling from a three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals marks the second time the law has been upheld.
The breeders’ case was first thrown out by a federal district court in September 2021, and the latest decision from the appeals court on Wednesday supports that dismissal.
Meagan Borgerson, an attorney for the breeders and pet store owners, expressed disappointment with the decision.
In a statement, she said, “It took over two years for the Fourth Circuit to come to its conclusion, which means Maryland pet store owners have been unable to operate for an even longer period.”
Borgerson also mentioned that they were weighing the option of appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court, though she admitted that pursuing this route would be “an uphill battle.”
However, the ruling was met with celebration from state officials and animal rights groups, who praised the decision as a victory for animal welfare.
They argued that the law, which bans the sale of dogs and cats in pet stores, is fully constitutional.
“This is a huge win for puppies and for Marylanders who care about humane treatment for animals,” said Sen. Ben Kramer (D-Montgomery), who sponsored the law. “The court’s decision was absolutely the right one.”
Kelsey Hartman, a spokesperson for the Maryland Attorney General’s Office, also welcomed the decision. “We are pleased with the Fourth Circuit’s ruling, which affirms Maryland’s 2021 Pet Store Statute,” she said. “This law ensures that puppies and kittens are treated humanely and are healthy when sold to Maryland consumers.”
The case involved a 2021 update to a similar law passed in 2018, which prohibits retail pet stores from selling or transferring cats or dogs.
The ruling supports a broader effort to combat “puppy mills”—breeding facilities that churn out pets in poor and often cruel conditions.
