San Marcos City Council will consider whether to regulate the sales of pets from commercial pet stores Feb. 1 during a regular meeting.
According to city documents, the ordinance is based on House Bill 1818 that failed to pass the 87th Texas Legislature session in 2021. The regulation would require publicly visible documentation of where every animal is sourced from and maintain that record for one year following the date the pet store takes possession of the dog or cat, be it an animal shelter, private breeding facility or other source.
A record would have to be displayed next to the cage or enclosure each dog or cat is kept in, detailing the name and contact information of its origin.
The new rule, should it become law, would only apply to commercial pet stores, not individual breeders that raise dogs or cats in their home, according to the documents.
