Despite introducing a number of amendments to the proposed Humane Pet Act, the Colorado House Rural Affairs and Agriculture Committee failed to pass the bill to the next phase, with a vote of 6-5 against the legislation.

On Monday, Rep. Monica Duran , the bill’s sponsor, softened on some of the initial stances in the proposed legislation, including the ban on commercial pet stores selling dogs and cats. Instead, pet stores would be required to get their animals from licensed breeders, get an affidavit from the breeder saying that their practices meets requirements and display the breeder’s information on each animal’s enclosure.

“I am disappointed and heartbroken by what we gave up,” Duran said. “I’ve lost a lot of supporters by presenting these amendments, but giving up because we did not get what we want is not how you legislate. Doing nothing is not a solution.”

The amendment also removed the restriction on breeding cats or dogs more than once per year and the ban non-solid floored enclosures for animals.

But the changes weren’t enough for those opposed to a tougher law, and they went too far for some of the supporters of the bill’s original provisions.

Pet advocates, breeders, kennel clubs and pet store owners showed up to voice their opposition to many measures of the bill. Witnesses challenged the scientific basis of the 25-animal cap for breeders and restricting animals to breeding no more than six times per lifetime, arguing that the quality of the breeder is a much clearer determinant of an animal’s welfare.

Ultimately, lawmakers said they didn’t feel comfortable supporting a bill that could have such an impact on local businesses.

“We cannot be anti-business,” said Rep. Richard Holtorf, a Republican committee member. “This industry has so many hard-working people, and I am not going to sit here and jeopardize the business models of these pet stores.”

The bill has been postponed indefinitely.