New California Animal Welfare Laws Enacted For 2012

Here is to a happy 2012. Every New Year brings with it new laws and regulations. Here are the highlights of new animal protection laws fought for, co-sponsored, developed by and supported by you and your spcaLA.  With our combined efforts and determination, our animals do have a voice and are heard by our government.

Courtesy Google Images

Senate Bill 917  prohibits the sale of animals on/in roadsides, parking lots, and other public places. This also corrects a disparity in the penalty between intentional acts of animal cruelty and animal neglect by making the penalty the same for both.

Assembly Bill 376   prohibits the possession, sale, trade and distribution of shark fins used routinely in shark fin soup. This ban should help alleviate the mutilation and annual killing of millions of sharks.

Assembly Bill 1117   allows the court to prohibit criminals convicted of specific animal cruelty crimes from owning animals for a specified period of time.

Assembly Bill 258   permits qualified ill dogs to be exempt from the otherwise mandatory anti-rabies vaccines. Licensing would be permitted without the requisite vaccine if a veterinarian asserts life threatening consequences should the vaccine be given. 

Senate Bills 425 and 426   increase certain fines which may be imposed for cockfighting activities such as bringing a minor child to a cockfight. 

And now, we begin all over again to fight the good fight in 2012!