Bill Sponsor, Social Compassion in Legislation, Hopeful Governor Brown Will Sign Historic Animal Welfare Legislation into Law

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Sept. 15, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- California Assembly Bill 485, the Pet Rescue and Adoption Act, passed both the California State Senate by a vote of 38 to 0 and the Assembly on concurrence with a vote of 65 to 3 this week.  AB 485 was immediately enrolled to Governor Jerry Brown for his consideration.

AB 485, authored by Assembly Members Patrick O'Donnell and Matt Dababneh and sponsored by animal advocacy group, Social Compassion in Legislation, is a landmark bill that will ban the sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits sourced from high-volume, commercial breeding facilities in all pet shops throughout the state. Instead, pet shops will be required to source animals from local shelters and rescues. With Assembly Member Rocky Chavez signing on as a co-author and more Republicans voting in favor in both houses, the bill passed with bipartisan support.  

"I thank my Assembly and Senate colleagues for their support on this critical measure and for defending the voiceless," said Assemblymember Patrick O'Donnell (D-Long Beach). "AB 485 gives shelter animals the chance to find their forever homes, while simultaneously cutting off the outlet for puppy mill animals into our state.  This bill is a win-win for animals and California."

Senator Cathleen Galgiani of the 5th district stated, "Most Californians agree that we need to put the brakes on the mass breeding of animals that end up in local shelters costing taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars to care for and eventually euthanize.  It's a costly and unsustainable vicious cycle.  AB 485 will take the puppy mills out of pet stores and give shelter animals a better chance of being adopted."

"I am proud to be a Joint Author of the 'Pet Rescue and Adoption Act.'  This measure made another key advancement today as it passed the Senate with strong support from my colleagues in the State Senate," remarked Assemblymember Dababneh. "This bill is an important step in ending the inhumane and deplorable breeding practices of puppy mills, and fostering increased adoption opportunities for pets at local shelters. However, our work is not done yet. I look forward to working with my Assembly colleague to ensure the Governor's support."

"We are thrilled by the landslide votes this week," stated bill sponsor, Judie Mancuso, founder and president of Social Compassion in Legislation. "AB 485 is a historic bill that will eliminate the demand for high volume, cruelly bred dogs, cats, and rabbits in our pet shops. AB 485 will allow over half a million pets normally euthanized annually in California a greater chance for adoption, and again show that we are a leader in animal welfare legislation. We are hopeful Governor Brown will agree and look forward to him signing the bill into law."

www.SocialCompassionInLegislation.org

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SOURCE Social Compassion in Legislation