A bill seeking to address overcrowding in animal shelters by regulating hobby breeders is advancing in the California Assembly.
The proposal, sponsored by Social Compassion in Legislation, insinuates that people who breed as few as ONE litter are contributing to animal shelter population concerns, and, therefore, should incur significant regulations.
Assembly Bill 1482 is going to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, and it is essential that the committee hear from hobbyists to understand the significant increase and cost this will be to the state.
Actions to Take Today to Oppose AB 1482:
1) Email the committee at approps.committee@assembly.ca.gov and be sure to put the “Oppose AB 1482” in the subject line, as this committee reviews hundreds of bills.
2) Create an account on the California Legislature Position Letter Portal and upload a letter in opposition to the bill.
Talking Points for Assembly Bill 1482
- Large scale dog breeding is already regulated in California, and animal control is overworked and overstretched across all of California. This definition is a significant expansion in the number of people regulated, and it is unclear how it will be determined when someone reaches the threshold outlined in the bill. This will result in a significant cost with unclear enforcement.
- Without providing additional money to cities and counties for additional enforcement it does not make sense to devote time and resources to many of the best dog breeders in the state. Instead, cities and counties should continue to focus their limited resources to ensuring the well-being of all animals.
- Just last week, the Business and Professions Committee adopted amendments to AB 506, requiring all who sell a dog – including hobbyists – to provide certain information at the time of sale to protect consumers. The portion of this bill regulating hobbyists is unnecessary.
- The California Penal Code already holds accountable those who deprive animals of necessary sustenance or shelter and subject animals to needless suffering. These laws apply to all dog owners – including hobby breeders. It is not necessary to expand the definition to ensure dogs raised by hobbyists are protected.
Summary:
For the entire bill click here. Some of the key aspects are detailed below:
- Changes the definition of “dog breeder” from selling, transferring, or giving away all or part of 2 or more litters OR 10 or more dogs in the preceding 12 months. Depending on the breed, this threshold could impact those who have one litter in a year. Current law regulates breeders with 3 or more litters or 20 or more dogs during the preceding 12 months.
- Many localities in California use the state definition as a guideline when developing their breeder regulations.
- This new definition opens the door to future legislation further impacting hobby breeders.
AKC Government Relations continues to monitor bills in California impacting dog owners and will provide updates. For questions or more information, contact AKC GR at doglaw@akc.org.