§ 17-815 — Microchipping required

§ 17-815 Microchipping required.

a. No pet shop or animal rescue group shall release a dog or cat to a purchaser or adopter unless: (1) such animal has been implanted with a microchip as a permanent identification; (2) such pet shop or animal rescue group has registered such animal's microchip with such purchaser's contact information with a bona fide pet microchip registration company; and (3) such pet shop or animal rescue group has provided such purchaser with (i) usage instructions for such microchip provided by the manufacturer of such microchip or the company with which such microchip is registered and (ii) written certification of compliance with paragraphs one and two of this subdivision, signed by such purchaser as acknowledgement of receipt, in a form and manner set forth in rules promulgated by the department. b. Every pet shop and animal rescue group shall retain for a period of ten years from the date of sale of any dog or cat, a copy of the certification signed by the purchaser required by paragraph three of subdivision a of this section. c. A pet shop that allows an animal shelter or animal rescue group to use such pet shop's premises for the purpose of making animals available for adoption shall be exempt from the requirements of subdivisions a and b of this section with respect to such animals, provided such pet shop does not have an ownership interest in any of the animals that are being made available for adoption, and the pet shop does not derive a fee for providing such adoption services. (L.L. 2015/008, 1/17/2015, eff. 6/1/2015; Am. L.L. 2015/055, 6/2/2015, eff. 6/1/2015)