This January 1st, a few new laws came into effect both in California and nationally. Here are a just a few from Santa Clarita Bail Bonds.
In a sharp blow to the much-maligned puppy mill industry, California has just become the first state in the US to ban retail sale of cats and dogs from the controversial breeders. As of January 1st, 2019, pet stores in California will only be able to sell cats, dogs, and rabbits that come from local rescue groups, shelters, or animal control agencies. The stores will also be responsible for maintaining records on where each of their animals came from, and have it openly posted on their containers or closures. Any violation of the law are penalized with a $500 fine.
The law was passed in an effort to crack down on unscrupulous animal breeders, a.k.a. puppy mills. Dogs are popular in the US, and in an effort to take advantage of the constant demand, some breeders keep dogs in small, filthy cages and bred for profit. The animals themselves receive no affection, exercise, or proper veterinary care. Once the animals’ ability to be used for breeding is exhausted, the dogs are executed and another is put into its place.
Another dog-related law that just came in to effect advances pet protections in regards to divorce proceedings. Judges overseeing divorce proceedings now have the power to take into account the best interests of animals when it comes to who gets custody, and also to order a joint custody situation wherein both parties share custody of the animal.
Last but not least, a new federal law was enacted that formally bans the slaughter and trade of dogs and cats for human consumption. Until this point, it was legal in 44 states to kill and eat dogs and cats.
