OAKLAND, Calif. - Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday signed several bills collectively known as the "Stop the Puppy Mill Pipeline," designed to implement more rigid health and transparency rules in pet sales.
"Sunlight is the best disinfectant, and it's time to shine a light on pupy 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," Newsom said in a press release announcing the new legislation.
What's in the bill
What we know:
Two of the bills are aimed at creating more stringent requirements for pet sales, and the third bans the practice of declawing cats when not medically necessary.
Assemblymember Marc Berman (D-Menlo Park) authored AB 519, which prohibits third-party pet brokers, particularly online pet brokers, from selling cats, puppies and rabbits bred by others for profit in California.
A second bill, SB 312, authored by Senator Thomas Umberg (D-Santa Ana) requires dog importers to submit health certificates electronically to the California Department of Food & Agriculture within 10 days of shipment, and requires the department to provide those certificates upon request.
Newsom also signed into law AB 867, authored by Assemblymember Alex Lee (D-Milpitas), which bans the declawing of cats for non-medical reasons. Declawing can cause pain, infection and behavioral changes in cats that are declawed.
Thursday's legislation is the latest in a series of animal-welfare laws Newsom has signed, including a bill the governor signed last year that reformed pet insurance to better protect pet owners. Newsom has also signed legislation to end the retail sale of dogs, cats and rabbits, 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 the hunting, trapping or killing of bobcats.