After a bill was unanimously passed in the Senate earlier this week, California has become the first state to ban the commercial breeding of dogs, cats, and rabbits.
The legislation, AB-485, is a direct blow against the use of puppy mills: facilities that breed animals in crowded, dirty, and inhumane conditions.
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All pet stores in the state of California will now have to “maintain records sufficient to document the source of each dog, cat, or rabbit the pet store sells” and “to post, in a conspicuous location on the cage or enclosure of each animal, a sign listing the name of the entity from which each dog, cat, or rabbit was obtained”.
Any pet stores that could be found guilty of selling commercially bred animals can be fined up to $500 for each violation.
Once the bill is signed by Governor Brown, it will come into full effect in January 2019.
“The California legislature’s passage of Assembly Bill 485 is a landmark victory and one that we have championed for decades,” said Chris DeRose, Last Chance for Animals president and founder. “We are elated that our home state is leading the way on this important issue. Requiring pet stores to sell only rescue and shelter animals is a bold venture – but one that will help rehome some of the six million unwanted animals that enter shelters each year.”
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This will severely limit the choices for pet owners and will cause many to buy pets online when they can’t find the type or breed of pet they want in the stores. Expect many pet stores to go out of business and more families to lose their small business ownership.
Larust,
Why would any bona fide breeder be worried about this law, which will only regulate pet stores? They can select fine animals from the rescue organizations, animal shelters, and humane societies. I have gotten three or four purebred dogs from shelters and have bought a could from AKA breeders at their homes. Each dog was a different breed than I had gotten previously.
I have found lovely purebreds – and a couple dogs whose parents were not so interested in ‘class distinction’ – from the Humane Society in town. The latter were sometimes calmer and more balanced than the single-breed animals and others, not as much.
Purebred breeders who work with the American Kennel Club and other organizations where breeding standards are important are still free to raise their dogs. The same would be true of cats, rabbits, chickens, goats, sheep, or other animal breeders.
People who are doing a good job ought not to worry because there are many ways of via the Internet and smartphone apps to advertise their little critters for new homes.
Best wishes for you and your friends.
You obviously meant something nasty by the phrase “you and your friends”. as so many do who decide to attack people they don’t even know via the anonymity of the internet. I have advocated for animal rights for many years, but without knowing anything about me you felt entitled to pass judgement based on a few sentences. I think those who run ‘puppy mills’ should be prosecuted and the laws should be changed to reflect the severity of their crimes. I just don’t think we should punish the owners of pet stores, especially those mom and pop operations run by people who sincerely love animals and would never buy from “puppy mills” anyway, by limiting their sources of companion animals. Punish the “puppy mill” owners, not the pet store owners.
I think this legislation should serve as a model for other states to follow suit. If everyone would contact their
representatives, this is a humane change for animals we could bring about.
Well I won’t be shopping in any stores that sell rescue dogs and here is why….all those dogs being brought in from other countries…they are the cause of the new outbreaks in shelters of horrible diseases and the rescues don’t tell you which came from where. I’m not going to expose MY dogs to such potential diseases by even entering such a store…no way….the rescue nuts can pay the vet bills and have their dogs die…not me.
Paula Shepard you might want to read and acquaint yourself with adoption events. Apparently you do not know that ins and outs of dog adoption.Dogs are are not sold per se as you think it is. Rescue groups vet their dogs that are put up for adoption. They are given a clean bill of health before they are brought to adoption events which includes up to date vaccinations and microchip.They are also spayed or neutered. An adoption fee is paid because the rescue organization has spent money to give their animals a clean bill of health and also so they will have funds to get medical attention for their future rescues.And even then one is not assured that a potential adoptee will be able to adopt because they themselves will be vetted if they are a proper fit to the dog they are adopting or if they pass the home visit.This is done to assure that the dogs will have a safe haven once adopted and to prevent them from going back to the system again. Dogs are not sold wily nily nor are sick dogs sold…..