Woohoo! California Becomes the First State to Ban the Sale of Animals From Puppy Mills

Animal lovers across the nation, particularly in California, are rejoicing with the news that California Governor Jerry Brown signed the legislation that would ban pet stores from selling animals from “puppy mills” and other irresponsible breeders. Instead, pet shops will be required to partner with animal shelters, rescues, or adoption centers.

This new law, which will take effect January 1, 2019, will not only protect dogs from deplorable conditions at breeding facilities but cats and rabbits as well. Those in violation of the law will face a fine of $500.

Supported by animal welfare groups like the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), the new law is hoped to not only stop animal neglect and cruelty at puppy mills but also help stop the epidemic of euthanasia in animal shelters, where HSUS estimates 1.5 million animals are killed annually across the nation. Puppy mills provide pet shops with 99 percent of dogs sold, so this groundbreaking law will certainly save countless lives and cut back significantly on animal cruelty. From a financial standpoint, California taxpayers provide $250 million to animal shelters a year, and this new law should help curb this amount.

There are already 36 cities in California, including San Francisco, Sacramento, and Los Angeles, and several cities in other states, like Phoenix and Chicago, that have already banned the sale of animals from puppy mills, but this is the first statewide legislation approved. The law will not affect the sale of animals from private breeders who do not participate in the mass commercial sale of animals.

According to Matt Bershadker, the president of ASPCA, animals from puppy mills “generally live in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions” and “without adequate veterinary care, food, water or socialization…While awareness of the puppy mill problem is growing, humane regulation at the state and federal level has been slower to evolve.” We hope the rest of the nation follows California’s lead and takes a stance against animal cruelty and irresponsible breeding.

There are still some people who are unaware of the problems with puppy mills, so please share this with your network!

Image Source: Tookapic/pexels.com