OFFICE OF FISCAL ANALYSIS

Legislative Office Building, Room 5200

Hartford, CT 06106 (860) 240-0200

http: //www. cga. ct. gov/ofa

April 30, 2009

ADDENDUM

To Fiscal Note on LCO No. 6389

sSB-499, File No. 467

AN ACT CONCERNING A PET LEMON LAW AND THE RELEASE OF RABIES VACCINATION RECORDS TO ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS.

The fiscal note on the amendment indicated a minimal fiscal impact to the Judicial Department. The fiscal note on the amendment should also have indicated a potential significant cost to the Department of Agriculture.

The amendment requires pet shops or kennel licensees to file a certificate of origin with the Department of Agriculture (DoAG) no later than two days after the sale of any cat or dog sold. To the extent the agency would be required to enforce this provision, costs could be incurred for additional staff resources. The extent to which the Department of Agriculture would be required to enforce the amendment's provisions is unclear.

There are currently nine Animal Control Officers working for DoAG who enforce laws pertaining to: (1) the licensing and control of dogs; (2) the licensing and inspection of pet facilities and rabies control; (3) investigation of property damage, injury and nuisance caused by dogs; and (4) making arrests in association with complaints of animal cruelty.

Kennels are currently licensed by municipalities and it is unknown how many of them there are in the state. There are currently 115 pet shops licensed by the state, half of which sell dogs and/or cats.