Update: The Senate Public Safety Committee again postponed their hearing of AB 241. The bill is now scheduled be heard on July 14th pending approval of a rule waiver.
The Senate Public Safety Committee has postponed this hearing and AB 241 will now be heard at their June 30th meeting. Concerned dog owners and breeders are encouraged to contact the committee members prior to the hearing and ask them to oppose the bill.
Assembly Bill 241 has passed the full Assembly and will now be heard by the Senate Public Safety Committee on June 23. This bill will make it a misdemeanor for any person to have more than a combined total of 50 intact dogs and cats. The bill does not specify an age threshold so must we assume that this limit will include puppies and kittens. AB 241 will not apply to private or public animal shelters, veterinarians or research facilities.
The AKC believes that quality of a breeder is not determined by the number of animals he has, but by the care the animals receive. This legislation is problematic in that it will not improve the lives of cats and dogs, will negatively impact responsible breeders, and will establish numerical limits that could result in even more animals being euthanized or relinquished to shelters. Concentrating animal control efforts on animals whose behavior demonstrates that they are a problem for the community would be a much better use of taxpayer funds.
The American Kennel Club remains opposed to this legislation and encourages California fanciers and responsible owners and breeders to write to members of the Senate Public Safety Committee and ask them to oppose this legislation.
What You Can Do:
- Attend the Senate Public Safety Committee Hearing
June 23, 9:30am
State Capitol, Room 3191
- Contact the members of the Senate Public Safety Committee and ask them to oppose AB 241. For a sample letter to personalize, click here (webmaster please include a link to the attached sample letter.)
Senate Public Safety Committee Members:
Senator Mark Leno (Chair)
Phone: (916) 651-4003
Fax: (916) 445-4722
State Capitol, Room 4061
Sacramento, CA 95814
Senator.Leno@Senate.ca.gov
Senator John J. Benoit (Vice-Chair)
Phone: (916) 651-4037
Fax: (916) 327-2187
State Capitol, Room 4066
Sacramento, CA 95814
Senator.Benoit@Senate.ca.gov
Senator Gilbert Cedillo
Phone: (916) 651-4022
Fax: (916) 327-8817
State Capitol, Room 5100
Sacramento, CA 95814
Senator.Cedillo@Senate.ca.gov
Senator Loni Hancock
Phone: (916) 651-4009
Fax: (916) 327-1997
State Capitol, Room 3092
Sacramento, CA 95814
Senator.Hancock@Senate.ca.gov
Senator Robert Huff
Phone: (916) 651-4029
Fax: (916) 324-0922
State Capitol, Room 3048
Sacramento, CA 95814
Senator.Huff@Senate.ca.gov
Senator Darrell Steinberg
Phone: (916) 651-4006
Fax: (916) 323-2263
State Capitol, Room 205
Sacramento, CA 95814
Senator.Steinberg@Senate.ca.gov
Senator Roderick Wright
Phone: (916) 651-4025
Fax: (916) 445-3712
State Capitol, Room 5064
Sacramento, CA 95814
Senator.Wright@Senate.ca.gov
Please copy your opposition letters to the author, Assemblyman Pedro Nava, as his office will maintain the official list of support and opposition.
Assemblymember Pedro Nava (Author)
Phone: (916) 319-2035
Fax: (916) 319-2135
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0000
Assemblymember.nava@assembly.ca.gov
Update: The Senate Public Safety Committee again postponed their hearing of AB 241. The bill is now…