Emotionality about pets as apposed to livestock should not be encoded into law.
Absolutely it should. How would you feel if you had to give your dog or cat away because of changed circumstances only to have it end up in a lab? That's how these 'Class B' dealers work - they troll newspapers looking for 'free to a good home' ads.
Laws should and do reflect society's values & our feelings toward companion animals are part of this.