California Becomes 1st State to Ban Retail Sale of Dogs, Cats, Rabbits

[Zorro]

Retail pet stores in California will only be able to sell kittens, rabbits, and puppies if they come from a rescue organization after a new state law goes into effect Tuesday.

With AB 485, California became the first state to implement such strict new rules on pet stores. Retailers are banned from selling live dogs, cats or rabbits unless the animal was obtained from a public animal control agency or shelter, humane society group, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shelter or a rescue group that’s in a cooperative agreement with at least one private or public shelter.

Suna and Mitch Kentdotson were visiting the SD Humane Society to adopt a new kitten on Friday. They said they'd like to see the state restrict neglectful breeders from profiting off the sale of puppies and kittens.

“I think it’s better to rescue these animals instead of having like a puppy mill or something like that where these animals are raised super inhumanely," Suna Kentdotson said.

https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/California-Becomes-First-State-to-Ban-Retail-Sale-of-Dogs-Cats-and-Rabbits-503644401.html

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

1. So glad to hear of this humane act... hopefully, other states will follow California's lead.

[jberryhill]

2. Including fryer rabbits?

[democratisphere]

5. fryer WHAT?!

[Codeine]

9. Rabbit is a fairly common meat.

We raised and ate rabbits when I was a child in the 70s. Our rabbit hutches were my chore, in weather foul and fair. Before leaving for school I had to go break the ice on their water tubs and give them fresh alfalfa.

Of course, the fact that I fed, watered, and cared for them daily only to see them killed and butchered probably went a long way toward my decision to be a vegan as an adult. That and deer hunting.

[democratisphere]

14. Two more great reasons to be a vegetarian; rabbit and deer!

[Igel]

23. Look carefully in the frozen meat department of some large grocery stores.

You'll find rabbit. And quail. And a variety of other lesser-used animal carcasses. My favorite homestyle cookbook unremarkably includes a section on how to prepare rabbit. Also squirrel. I don't eat those meats, but it's not a long section.

Want exotic? Then go to some ethnic markets. Know one teacher who for his biology class would pick up whole squid for dissection. He'd also have a deep fryer going so that when they kids were done they could make calamari and eat their science experiment. Another has a variety of seafood, still moving about on its own, for sale. (Tilapia are ugly fish, by the way, not like trout; tilapia deserve to be eaten.) My local halal market always has some goat carcasses hanging in the back. Beef they can order, chicken, no problem. But goat? That they have to handle themselves.

Once in Oregon I went to a natural foods place because they usually had lamb. Needed a specific cut of lamb, and the meat manager said it was an odd time of year for lamb, but no problem. Picked the meat up a couple of days later, and the market suddenly had lamb. I was told my order caused the rather immediate and unexpected deaths of two lambs, and the market then had the rest of the critters to sell.

Then again once we took our (then) 3-year-old son out to pick blueberries at a pick-your-own place. The first driveway we pulled into was the wrong one, as I looked at a map a cow came up to the passenger side windows. My son looked out the car window at the cow a foot or two away and said, "Yum!" Thus showing with one interjection that he knew it was a cow and knew that beef came from cows. He liked beef.

[jberryhill]

33. Hasenpfeffer

[Danascot]

38. Hasenpfeffer!

[Drahthaardogs]

27. Rabbit and polenta (Coniglio con Polenta)

Sounds like Sunday dinner to me!

[sl8]

28. I don't think so.

If I'm reading it correctly, it only applies to pet stores.

AB485 text:
http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB485

I believe this is the definition of pet stores that they refer to:

From https://www.lawserver.com/law/state/california/codes/california_health_safety_code_122350

California Codes > Health and Safety Code > Division 105 > Part 6 > Chapter 9 – Pet Store Animal Care

...

(i) “Pet store” means a retail establishment open to the public and selling or offering for sale animals, including, but not limited to, animals for use as pets or animals intended as food for other animals. “Pet store” does not include a retail establishment open to the public and selling or offering for sale animals to agricultural operations for purposes that are directly related to the raising of livestock or poultry on a farm or ranch. A person who sells, exchanges, or otherwise transfers only animals that were bred or raised, or both, by the person, or sells or otherwise transfers only animals kept primarily for reproduction, shall be considered a breeder and not a pet store.

...

[jberryhill]

31. Okay that makes sense

[Codeine]

3. Excellent.

Fuck puppy mills.

[yuiyoshida]

4. On behalf of my two previous kitties... I approve this message!

[lunatica]

6. This is great news!

Now all purchases will be for rescued pets.

[Brother Buzz]

22. Rescued pets that won't breed

Another upside to this is a law that's already on the books in California: ALL animals from shelters have to be spayed or neutered.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

7. Good intentions, but now people will just buy their purebreds out of state.

Or transact privately with in-state breeders. Not sure that this isn't just window dressing.

[pnwmom]

10. I bought my non-purebred from an in-state breeder, who was wonderful.

She raises puppies in her home and gives them wonderful care. She exposes them to the normal activities of a home and community, including getting them accustomed to meeting strangers and children. Good home breeders are nothing like puppy mills.

[Codeine]

12. Fewer impulse purchases can only be a good thing.

This seems aimed less at legitimate breeders and more at pet stores, though I find the former as odious as the latter.

[paleotn]

15. those are usually responsible breeders...

They don't bread puppers or kitties for mass market consumption at industrial scales.

[marybourg]

37. Read the last sentence of the law, posted above.

It does not apply to breeders, only to retail stores.

[Maru Kitteh]

8. I SIMPLY CANNOT RECOMMEND THIS POST

enough times.

[spanone]

11. K&R...👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[catbyte]

13. ...

And, once again, California leads the nation in doing the right thing.

[Stinky The Clown]

16. I applaud heartily the intent. I fear the unintended consequences.

[CreekDog]

26. anything in particular?

buying these types of animals at the mall has been gradually disappearing here anyway.

[paleotn]

17. Wonderful news!!

Our rescue puppers and kitty salute CA!

[Aristus]

18. My brother is a vocal advocate for shelter and rescue animals,

especially dogs. He's cared for five or six of them, and they've all been wonderful.

I have the best brother in the world, but he lives in terror of being seen as emotionally vulnerable. He's so guarded. His dogs are among the things he lavishes unrestrained love and affection on.

[Stonepounder]

19. Good on California!

We currently have 5 dogs. Over the years two more have gone to the bridge.

Our first two came from reputable breeders.
The next one was adopted from a PetSmart adoption day.
Two more were failed fosters.
Two more came from reputable breeders.

Note that NONE of them came from a pet store!

[AlexSFCA]

20. what about private breeders?

[Igel]

25. The OP articles continues at link.

Direct purchases from breeders are okay.

But the breeder has to be licensed and regulated and there are record keeping requirements.

I've known people who keep dogs and while they don't make a regular business of it do breed their bitches from time to time and sell the puppies to friends and neighbors. We're not talking fancy AKC/registered critters here. Strictly working class.

But that kind of sale is already illegal under California law. It makes them a breeder, meaning they'd have to be registered, inspected, etc., etc. Who knows if their backyard qualifies as "clean and sanitary".

Have no clue if it's legal under Texas law, actually. More to the point, they wouldn't care.

[ailsagirl]

21. GREAT!!

[UniteFightBack]

24. This is a great first step. Now I'm sure more states will follow suit. nt

[pnwmom]

29. What's the next step? Ban the breeding of all pets? n/t

[UniteFightBack]

30. Breeding should be licensed and regulated. We don't need retail stores selling puppy mill dogs. nt

[pnwmom]

32. I think breeding in CA is already licensed and regulated. n/t

[UniteFightBack]

34. California is a true leader...in many areas! nt

[llmart]

35. Terrific news!

California - always showing the way. Eventually other states will file suit.

I have wanted something like this for a very long time. Too many yahoos (aka Trumpsters) trying to make a quick buck breeding dogs and cats for sale, though they know nothing about good breeding practices.

[ProudLib72]

36. KnR for Cali!

I have two dogs (well one now that I'm getting divorced), both of whom came from rescues. It may take a little more time to visit the rescue and fill out the adoption papers to be matched with the perfect animal, but it is well worth it!

[Raine]

39. Wonderful! nt