These standards of care usually address adequate food and water, regular exercise, veterinary care, natural or artificial light during daylight hours, adequate space in living quarters, protection from the elements and extreme temperatures, and even adequate resting time between breeding cycles. While the laws vary, they generally require a person who meets the definition of a commercial breeder to obtain a license, pay a fee (which often varies depending on how many dogs the person breeds), have his or her breeding facilities inspected, and maintain certain minimum standards of care. In all, around 25 states have laws addressing commercial breeders. This table does NOT include laws affecting pet shops, animal rescue organizations, dog boarding kennels, or humane societies. Failure to follow these state laws or regulations can often lead to revocation of a commercial breeder's license, civil fines, or even criminal penalties. The administrative regulation is issued by a state agency-usually the stateвЂ™s department of agriculture, board of commercial breeders, or animal health department-who is responsible for overseeing commercial breeding.

Provisions covering commercial breeders may take the form of a state law or an administrative regulation issued by the agency that has the responsibility for overseeing these activities.

This definition does not typically include a person who breeds a litter or two every year as a hobby (usually termed a 'hobby breeder'). Generally, though not always, a commercial dog breeder is defined as someone who breeds a large number of dogs (usually 20 or more) within a certain time frame (usually 12 months). This table covers state laws and administrative regulations affecting commercial dog breeders. The table defines a commercial breeder, describes whether a state has an upper limit of dogs a breeder can possess at one time, whether a state has minimum standards of care, inspection provisions, and penalties for violations.

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