VermontAnimal welfare director may regulate pet groups and imported animals
The act gives Vermont’s animal welfare director rulemaking authority and sets registration, insurance, sterilization, funding, and reporting provisions effective June 8, 2026.
What it does
Animal shelters, rescue groups, pet dealers, breeders, and people importing pets into Vermont must register and may face penalties under rules set by the animal welfare director.
Covered pet businesses and organizations must carry commercial liability insurance, while wolf-hybrids must be sterilized once they reach six months of age.
The Animal Welfare Fund may receive donations, grants, and gifts, and the animal welfare director must report on what Vermont needs for a comprehensive animal welfare system.
Argument forRegistration, insurance, and sterilization rules could improve accountability and reduce risks for animals, adopters, and nearby communities.
Argument againstRegistration and insurance requirements may add paperwork and costs for small shelters, rescue groups, breeders, and pet importers.
More detail
The Director of Animal Welfare may make rules, and covered groups and importers must register and may face penalties. This covers animal shelters, rescue organizations, pet dealers, animal breeders, and anyone importing one or more domestic pets into Vermont for adoption, sale, transfer, or breeding. The registration requirement and penalties apply to the listed groups and importers. These provisions take effect on June 8, 2026.
Pet dealers, shelters, rescue groups, and breeders must maintain commercial liability insurance, and wolf-hybrids must be sterilized. The insurance requirement covers pet dealers, animal shelters, rescue organizations, and animal breeders. The sterilization requirement covers all wolf-hybrids that are six months old or older. The insurance must be commercial liability insurance. The sterilization rule applies when a wolf-hybrid is at least six months old. These provisions take effect on June 8, 2026.
The Animal Welfare Fund may accept donations, grants, and gifts, and the Director of Animal Welfare must submit a report on needs for a comprehensive state animal welfare system. The fund may receive outside contributions. The report concerns what is needed to establish a comprehensive animal welfare system in Vermont. These provisions take effect on June 8, 2026.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed 1st Chamber
- Passed 2nd Chamber
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- May 29House message: Governor approved bill on June 8, 2026Latest
- May 29Signed by Governor Phil Scott on June 8, 2026Became Law
- May 29Delivered to Governor on June 2, 2026To Governor
- May 26House message: House concurred in Senate proposal of amendmentMinor
- May 21Senate proposal of amendment concurred inMinor
- May 21Rules suspended and taken up for immediate consideration, pending entry on Notice Calendar, as moved by Rep. McCoy of Poultney
- May 21Senate Message: Passed in concurrence with proposal of amendmentMinor
- May 21Rules suspended & messaged to House forthwith, on motion of Senator Baruth
- May 21Read 3rd time & passed in concurrence with proposal of amendmentPassed 2nd Chamber
- May 21New Business/Third ReadingMinor
- May 203rd reading ordered
- May 20Proposal of amendment by Committee on Government Operations agreed toMinor
- May 20Reported favorably by Senator Gulick for Committee on FinanceMinor
- May 20Read 2nd time, reported favorably with proposal of amendment by Senator Collamore for Committee on Government OperationsMinor
- May 20Favorable report by Committee on FinanceMinor
- May 20Favorable report with proposal of amendment by Committee on Government OperationsMinor
- May 20Unfinished Business/Second ReadingMinor
- May 19Favorable report by Committee on FinanceMinor
- May 19Favorable report with proposal of amendment by Committee on Government OperationsMinor
- May 19New Business/Second ReadingMinor
- May 15Favorable report by Committee on FinanceMinor
- May 15Favorable report with proposal of amendment by Committee on Government OperationsMinor
- May 15Second ReadingMinor
- May 15Entered on Notice Calendar
- May 8Referred to Committee on Finance per Senate Rule 31
- May 8Favorable report with proposal of amendment by Committee on Government OperationsMinor
- May 8Second ReadingMinor
- May 8Entered on Notice Calendar
- Apr 1Committee on Judiciary relieved; bill committed to Committee on Government Operations on motion of Senator Hashim
- Mar 19Read 1st time & referred to Committee on JudiciaryMinor
- Mar 17Read third time and passedPassed 1st Chamber
- Mar 17Rep. Bartholomew of Hartland and Nelson of Derby moved to amend the bill, which was agreed to
- Mar 17Action Calendar: Third ReadingMinor
- Mar 13Third Reading orderedMinor
- Mar 13Rep. Branagan of Georgia moved to commit the bill to the Committee on Agriculture, Food Resiliency, and Forestry, which was disagreed to
- Mar 13Report of Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs, as amended, agreed to
- Mar 13Report of Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs amended as recommended by Committee on Ways and Means
- Mar 13Rep. Masland of Thetford recommended for the Committee on Ways and Means
- Mar 13Rep. Waters Evans of Charlotte reported for the Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs
- Mar 13Read second timeMinor
- Mar 13Action Calendar: Favorable with Amendment
- Mar 12Notice Calendar: Favorable with Amendment
- Feb 26Pending entry on Notice Calendar, referred to Committee on Ways and Means per Rule 35(a)
- Feb 3Rep. LaLonde of South Burlington moved that the Committee on Judiciary be relieved of the bill and that the same be committed to the Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs, which was agreed to
- Jan 30Read first time and referred to the Committee on JudiciaryIntroduced
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