Governor Newsom takes action to end the puppy mill pipeline, protect cats
What you need to know: Today, Governor Gavin Newsom signed four bills to protect pets and pet owners, including legislation taking on puppy mills. These laws build on the administration’s prior work to improve animal welfare.
Los Angeles, California – Governor Gavin Newsom signed four bills today, three of which take on puppy mills to protect pets and pet parents alike. These laws build on the administration’s prior work to improve animal welfare.
Sunlight is the best disinfectant, and it’s time to shine a light on puppy mills. Greater transparency in pet purchases will bring to light abusive practices that take advantage of pets in order to exploit hopeful pet owners. Today’s legislation protects both animals and Californians by addressing fraudulent pet breeding and selling practices.
Governor Gavin Newsom
Stopping the puppy mill pipeline
80% of sponsored pet ads may be fake – but AB 506 by Assemblymember Steve Bennett (D-Ventura) holds pet sellers accountable, requiring them to disclose the pet’s origin and health information. The legislation also voids contracts that include non-refundable deposits, which all too often result in a bait-and-switch by committing hopeful pet parents to unhealthy pets – and feeds the puppy mill industry.
Many puppy mills pretend to be small home breeders by selling pets through brokers, so AB 519 by Assemblymember Marc Berman (D-Menlo Park) prohibits third-party pet brokers, particularly online pet brokers, from selling cats, puppies, and rabbits bred by others for profit in California. SB 312 by Senator Thomas Umberg (D-Santa Ana) requires dog importers to submit health certificates electronically to the California Department of Food & Agriculture (CDFA) within 10 days of shipment, and requires CDFA to provide those certificates upon request.
Meow you’re talking
The Governor also signed AB 867 by Assemblymember Alex Lee (D-Milpitas), which bans the practice of declawing cats when not medically necessary. Many other countries also ban the practice, which can lead to pain, infection, and behavioral changes.
Legislation announced today builds on a history of protecting animals and supporting pet owners, including a law signed last year that reformed pet insurance to better protect pet owners. Since taking office, Governor Newsom has signed several measures to end the retail sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits in California, prohibit toxicity testing on dogs and cats, ban the sale of new fur products, prohibit the use of animals like elephants and bears in circus acts, and ban hunting, trapping, or killing bobcats.
The Governor also signed measures to mandate natural disaster evacuation plans as a condition for obtaining a kennel license or permit, facilitate the emotional support dog certification process for homeless individuals, and require shelters to microchip all reclaimed or adopted cats and dogs, as well as expand microchip registration requirements.
The 2021-22 and 2020-21 state budgets included a total of $50 million investment for a statewide Animal Shelter Assistance Program administered by UC Davis to give the state’s animal shelters the training and resources they need to work toward the state’s no-kill goal.