California Gov. Gavin Newsom Signs Several Animal Welfare Laws

​www.kron4.com/news/gov-newsom-signs-several-laws-to-protect-animal-welfare/

California has once again positioned itself as a leader in animal welfare after Governor Gavin Newsom signed several laws aimed at protecting & strengthening animal welfare in the state. California is often at the forefront of the animal rights movement in the United States and this is yet another example of the state's commitment to better protecting animals. 

​Let's look at what bills were signed and why they're important!

SB 879
Prohibiting Extraneous Testing

Bill SB 879 will ban toxicity testing on cats and dogs for products intended for humans. As we know, results with animals do not always translate to humans which essentially puts cats and dogs through grueling toxicity testing for absolutely nothing. 

“Animal testing that has no scientific value and causes terrible pain and suffering is inhumane, unnecessary and cruel,”
-- Senator Scott Wiener, Bill SB 879 Creator

Assembly Bill 1648

Assembly bill 1648 requires kennel owners to create a natural disaster evacuation plan before being issued a permit to operate. This ensures animals held on the premises will be properly evacuated in the case of a natural disaster. Too often, animals are left behind as humans flee to safety, putting them in danger of being killed. Bill 1648 makes sure those animals will also be evacuated to safety as a responsibility of the operators of the kennel. This will protect innocent animals in the face of natural disasters.

Assembly Bill 1290

Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1290 which makes taking another person's companion animal "theft", a crime under the law.

Senate Bill 774

Senate Bill 774 facilitates the emotional support dog certification for unhoused people. Essentially, this moves the process along for those who require emotional support animals but do not have an address to accommodate the application. Emotional support animals are crucial to the mental health of those who apply and this bill will ensure everyone can access the support they need.

Assembly Bill 2723

Assembly bill 2723 expands the microchip registration for dogs and cats which will help return lost pets to owners. This bill will ensure lost animals are found and returned thanks to the expanded microchip requirements.  

California continues to demonstrate a strong commitment to the welfare of animals within their state. My hope is that through continued strengthening of welfare standards / laws, other states will follow suit. We must continue to improve our standards across the globe in order to properly protect animals from abuse / cruelty, needless toxicity testing, and other forms of exploitation. 

​Learn more about the bills signed by Governor Newsom by visiting the link at the top of this post!

HAPPY VEG