Businesses and shelters are mixed about a new law that targets puppy mills and bans the sales of puppies, kittens and bunnies in pet stores across New York City and the State.

A City Council bill in tandem with the state-wide Anti-puppy Mill Bill went into effect on Dec. 15.

The law is being praised by some shelters, who believe a decrease of supply of puppies to buy will bring more people into adopting the animals housed in city shelters.

"We hope to see a significant decrease in the demand for underground puppy mill operations that unethically breed dogs solely for profit. These dogs are often inbred and suffer from health issues, living in poor conditions where they are treated as breeding machines rather than as loved, cared-for animals," said Anna Khazanova, director of AMA Animal Rescue in Brooklyn. "This ban is crucial, especially given the ongoing challenge of overcrowded shelters. By stopping the breeding of more animals for financial gain, we give the animals in shelters a better chance at a future."

But not all are in favor of the change, including David Deitz, owner of Puppy Paradise on Flatbush Avenue. He says the ban will force pet stores like his to close down, with no clear path forward, according to him, on what to do with the animals in his care that they can no longer sell.

"This could have been resolved, they could have worked with stores to stop the puppy mills, let us take shelter dogs and find them homes, we have been doing this for 40 years we are professionals," he said. "Is it going to hurt our businesses? Of course. Will we close? I believe many of us will because we cannot support ourselves on supplies alone. Petsmart is too big, Costco is too big and you cannot compete."

Under the current state bill, shelters would be able to rent out spaces from pet stores for those animals. But Deitz worries his businesses may not be around long enough for that to happen.

"The puppies are just sitting there, as they cost thousands of dollars to get into the store with the overhead, so should we just give them away? That is another loss, one that the government should be compensating us for," he said.