How to make sure pet stores are sourcing from rescues and honoring California Law AB-485

Last year, California made history by passing AB-485, the Pet Rescue and Adoption Act, making it the first state in the nation to ban the retail sales of puppies, kittens, rabbits and instead source only from animal shelters and rescues.

As of January 1, 2019, the law has now taken effect. However, it may take time for pet stores to comply. As an advocate, I wanted to know how I could help ensure the law is enforced properly. This has been a passion of mine for years, and it's why I wrote here on what drives me to take a stand.

I asked Amy Jesse, public policy director of puppy mills for the Humane Society of the United States, what animal advocates can do to ensure compliance with the law. Here was her reply:

• Drop in to pet stores that are selling/adopting dogs, cats or rabbits
• The law only allows the store to “sell” dogs, cats and rabbits obtained from shelters and rescues, and requires the pet store to post a sign on each cage/enclosure for each dog/cat/rabbit stating which shelter or rescue the animal was obtained from
  • If there is no sign, call animal control and report it
  • If there is a sign, write down the names of any shelter or rescue you don’t recognize and look into that organization. If it appears to not be a legitimate shelter/rescue, report to animal control.
  • If researching a rescue, keep in mind that under the new law, a store can only obtain animals from a rescue that:1) is in a cooperative agreement with at least one shelter, 2) is registered with the IRS as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and 3) does not obtain animals from breeders or brokers for compensation. Report to animal control if the rescue does not meet these criteria.
  • If a sign or pet store employee tells you a dog, cat or rabbit in the store came from a breeder, a third party seller, or a member of the public (i.e.“accidental litter that someone dropped off”), report to animal control.
• If you’ve reported a likely violation to animal control, follow up to make sure action was taken. If an animal control officer determines there was a violation, a citation must be issued for $500 per animal offered for sale in violation of the law
• If you think you’ve uncovered a violation of the law, would like help researching shelters or rescues, or are having issues with animal control, please contact the Humane Society of the United States.

Note: Some shelters in the state, such as the San Diego Humane Society, have law enforcement authority and can enforce the law. Contact such shelters with any suspected violations.

Grateful for this information, I decided to turn this into a blog with the hopes that it can help others. Advocates can take small steps toward a more compassionate society. I hope this information can better arm consumers and concerned animal lovers on what to spot when visiting these stores. If you want a similar law in your state, contact your elected officials. If your city needs an ordinance to be a part of the nearly 300 cities that have such a ban, contact your city council. It takes an army of dedicated individuals to create positive change. I'm honored to have played a small part in this worthy cause.

•