https://www.akc.org/legislative-alerts/california-update-committee-considering-bill-regulate-hobby-breeders-tuesday-4-16/
April 10, 2024
Please share this information with dog owners in California.
On Tuesday, April 16, a California Assembly committee will be considering a
bill seeking to address concerns in animal shelters and change the definition
of breeder in California code to encompass hobbyists. The proposal, as
currently written, insinuates that people who breed as few as ONE litter are
contributing to animal shelter population concerns.
California club members and breeders are urged to contact the bill’s author,
committee leadership, and committee members. Express your concerns with House
Bill 2425 as introduced and ask them to not support changing the definition of
“breeder” in California code. Scroll down for contact information.
Ask that the animal shelter study in the bill be conducted BEFORE any new
regulations are enacted. Since the sponsor and author are both stating the
purpose of this bill is to address shelter population concerns, the study
should be the first step, rather than assuming that breeders are contributing
to these issues. Scroll down for additional talking points.
Summary:
Some of the key aspects of House Bill 2425, sponsored by Social Compassion in
Legislation, are detailed below. For the entire bill click here.
• Changes the definition of “dog breeder” from selling, transferring, or
giving away all or part of 3 or more litters or 20 or more dogs during the
preceding 12 months TO 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.
• Requires those meeting the new definition to comply with the state’s
consumer protection laws and basic standards of care. While the AKC is NOT
opposing the idea that breeders should offer contracts with some consumer
protection, or keep their dogs in humane conditions, this new definition
indicates a significant shift in who the state believes should be regulated.
Many cities and counties in California use the state definition as a guideline
when developing their breeder regulations.
This new definition also opens the door to future legislation further
impacting hobby breeders
• Requires that no dog may be sold or transferred by a breeder unless it
has been “immunized against common diseases and has a documented health check
from a licensed veterinarian.” AKC is asking for clarification, as not all
vaccines are safe or appropriate for a dog sold at 8 weeks of age.
• Require the state to conduct a comprehensive study by January 1, 2027,
into the overcrowding of the state’s shelter system, including ways in which
the state might address the issue and the possibility of public-private
partnerships to assist in helping shelters provide online information on
animals available for adoption
What You Can Do:
• The bill is currently scheduled for a hearing in the state Assembly
Business and Professions Committee on April 16. Hearing information is below if
you wish to participate in person (possibility to participate virtually will be
provided if/when it becomes available):
Tuesday, April 16
9:30 a.m.
1021 O Street, Room 1100,
Sacramento, CA 95814
• It is also important for those impacted to contact the author’s office
and the Assembly Business and Professions Committee Leaders and respectfully
express your concerns with AB 2425 as introduced. If you are a constituent, be
sure to mention that when contacting his office:
Contact the bill’s author, Assemblymember Bill Essayli (Dist. 63 – Riverside
County):
District Office: (951) 277-3639
Capitol Office: (916) 319-2063
assemblymember.essayli@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx;
Contact committee leadership:
Marc Berman (Chair) (Palo Alto)
District Office: (650) 324-0224
Capitol Office: (916) 319-2023
Heath Flora (Vice-Chair) (Ripon)
District Office: (209) 599-2112
Capitol Office: (916) 319-2009
Contact members of the Assembly Business and Professions Committee (be sure to
contact the committee member if you are their constituent:
Members of the Committee:
Juan Alanis (Modesto)
(209) 521-2201
(916) 319-2022
Jasmeet Bains (Bakersfield)
(661) 335-0302
(916) 319-2035
Juan Carillo (Palmdale)
(661) 266-3908
(916) 319-2039
Phillip Chen (Brea)
(714) 529-5502
(916) 319-2059
Diane Dixon (Newport Beach)
(949) 798-7221
(916) 319-2072
Timothy Grayson (Concord)
(925) 521-1511
(916) 319-2015
Jacqui Irwin (Thousand Oaks)
(805) 370-0542
(916) 319-2042
Dr. Corey Jackson (Moreno Valley)
(951) 653-0960
(916) 319-2060
Evan Low (Cupertino)
(408) 446-2810
(916) 319-2026
Josh Lowenthal (Long Beach)
(562) 429-0470
(916) 319-2069
Tina McKinnor (Inglewood)
(310) 412-6400
(916) 319-2061
Stephanie Nguyen (Elk Grove)
(916) 670-7888
(916) 319-2010
Gail Pellerin (Santa Cruz)
(831) 425-1503
(916) 319-2028
Kate A. Sanchez (Murrieta)
(951) 696-0002
(916)-319-2071
Esmeralda Soria (Merced)
(209) 726-5465
(916) 319-2027
Rick Chavez Zbur (Los Angeles)
(323) 436-5184
(916) 319-2051
Talking Points:
• Ask that the animal shelter study in the bill be conducted BEFORE any new
regulations are enacted. Since the sponsor and author are both stating the
purpose of this bill is to address shelter population concerns, the study
should be the first step, rather than assuming that breeders are contributing
to these issues.
• Large scale dog breeding is already regulated in California. Broadening
the definition of dog breeding will only serve to constrain enforcement
resources with new targets on small-scale hobbyist dog breeding.
• Purebred dog enthusiasts and hobby breeders, as this bill seeks to
regulate, are not the cause of shelter overcrowding.
• Further limiting the choices of Californians to select the dog of their
choice will likely result in many people obtaining dogs that do not work for
their families—and many of these dogs will end up back in the animal shelter
system.
• 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 in order to ensure dogs raised by
hobbyists are protected.
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@xxxxxxx.
Stormy V Hope
GSDCA Legislative Liaison to AKC
Stormy435@xxxxxxxxx
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