Scarinci: California Doubles Down on Animal Protection

While recent animal protection legislation died in the last session of the NJ State Legislature, California continues to lead the country to protect our precious pets. On January 1, 2026, six new laws took effect.

From a statewide ban on elective cat declawing to expanded disaster protections for companion animals, California sent a clear signal that animals should have more rights than a toaster oven.

California’s New Animal Protection Laws

California’s new laws introduce new compliance requirements for veterinarians, breeders, pet sellers, and importers. Below is a brief summary of each measure:

Ban on Declawing Cats

California Assembly Bill 867 (AB 867), signed by Governor Gavin Newsom on October 9, 2025, bans the declawing (onychectomy) of cats. Veterinarians are prohibited from performing the procedure, which has been shown to cause pain and serious long-term harm, unless it is deemed necessary for therapeutic purposes, such as disease or traumatic injury.

While several California cities had already enacted local bans, the Legislature closed the patchwork with a uniform rule that declawing is permitted only when medically necessary. California is the seventh state to ban this practice, joining others like New York, Maryland, and Virginia.

Pet Broker Ban

Prior reforms restricted pet stores from selling commercially bred animals. California Assembly Bill 519 (AB 519) goes further by targeting the commercial dog and cat breeding industry, as well as third-party pet brokers.

AB 519 expressly prohibits the sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits by third-party sellers, or “brokers,” which includes any person or business that sells, arranges, or facilitates the transfer of these animals for profit, whether in person or online. Effective January 1, 2026, California limits pet sales to only those that are sourced directly from breeders or from shelters, humane societies, or rescue organizations.

Stricter Pet Sale Regulations

California Assembly Bill 506 (AB 506) further regulates the pet sale process, adding protections for consumers and pets.

Effective January 1, 2026, AB 506 provides that a contract to transfer ownership of a dog, cat, or rabbit that is offered, negotiated, brokered, or otherwise arranged by a person, pet dealer, or business, while the purchaser is located in California, is void as against public policy if the contract includes or requires a nonrefundable deposit. It also requires California pet sellers to disclose the original source and medical information of the dog, cat, or rabbit, and authorizes a purchaser affected by a violation of the law to bring a civil action.

AB 506 also targets bait-and-switch scam tactics. The law requires, if money has been exchanged pursuant to a contract that is void pursuant to its provisions, the seller must refund the money to the purchaser within 30 days without expectation that the purchaser return the pet.

Increased Pet Sale Transparency 

California Senate Bill 312 (SB 312) seeks to increase traceability and accountability for animals entering California from out of state. It mandates that dog importers submit health certificates electronically to the California Department of Food & Agriculture within 10 days of shipment. The law also designates the health certificate as a public record, and requires the Department to retain a health certificate for five years.

Stalking Expanded to Include Pets

California Senate Bill 221 (SB 221) ensures that targeting companion animals to intimidate victims is considered criminal stalking. Under California’s expanded stalking law, the term “credible threat” now includes threats to a person’s pet, service animal, emotional support animal, or horse.

Protections for Pet Welfare in Natural Disasters

California also adopted legislation addressing animal welfare in emergency situations. California Assembly Bill 478 (AB 478) seeks to protect pets during natural disasters, responding to concerns revealed by recent wildfires.

Under AB 478, local governments must implement clear procedures to support pet owners during and following evacuations. The new law also prohibits a pet rescued or originating from an area subject to an evacuation order from being made available for adoption, euthanized, or transferred out of the custody of the local animal control agency or its in-state partner animal shelters, animal rescues, or animal fosters for at least 30 days.

The Future of Animal Protection Laws

California law continues to recognize what society already practices — that pets are not personal property like toaster ovens.   They occupy a special place in our lives, and they should have some protection.

While even California has not yet adopted a “best interest of the animal” standard, the legislators in that state are building a layered animal-protection regime that spans professional licensing, consumer commerce, and emergency management. Each piece reinforces the others and expands the regulatory perimeter.