Recently, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed 6 animal welfare bills into law. The legislation covers a wide range of companion animal welfare issues. Here’s a summary of the new legislation.

SB 879, the PET (Prohibiting Extraneous Testing) Act: Prohibits product toxicity testing on dogs and cats for substances like pesticides and other chemicals. Supporters of the act say that testing on animals like dogs and cats does not contribute to research on toxicity in humans.

AB 1648: Requires kennel owners to create a natural disaster evacuation plan as one of the conditions to be met for obtaining a kennel license or permit.

SB 774: Facilitates the emotional support dog certification process for homeless individuals.

AB 1290: Clarifies that taking or stealing someone’s companion animal is theft.

AB 2723: Expands microchip registration requirements for dogs and cats to deter animal theft and support the reunification of lost pets with their owners.

AB 2380: Prohibits online pet retailers from offering loans or financing options for the purchase or adoption of pet dogs, cats, or rabbits.

To learn more about the animal welfare laws in California and other US states, check out the Animal Legal & Historical Center’s website for an interactive map of state anti-cruelty laws.