Ask Lawmakers to Advance 72 Hour Pet Euthanasia Legislation AB2265
The situation in State run Animal Shelters is catastrophic. Since 2021 shelters intakes keep growing by thousands of unwanted animals. About 450,000 animals entered the California shelter system in 2023. Shelters Pet euthanasia is at 3 year high. California currently has the highest municipal shelter euthanasia rates in the United States, reaching 17%, a three-year peak.[1]
It is crucial to note that this data is alarmingly INCOMPLETE, as California DOES NOT require shelters to Report intakes and euthanasia data and many shelters do not share their statistics at all. Current numbers are based only on 38 % of shelters who have reported their intakes/outcome data.
It’s crucial to support congressmen who have proposed a New Shelter Accountability Bill. As a community, we have the power to let Congress know what matters most to us. Animals Lives Matter!
We must insist that elected congressmen vote in favor of this vital law and allocate sufficient funding from taxpayers’ money for enforcement and compliance as a high priority in 2024. It is essential to ensure the success of this law in 2024 and beyond, benefiting our communities and saving countless animal lives.
Transparency is crucial in addressing this issue, as timely information about planned euthanasia allows communities to find solutions and save lives. Withholding such information leads to the unnecessary deaths of thousands of young and healthy animals.
It’s imperative to support congressmen who are advocating for Shelter Accountability Bills, urging elected officials to vote in favor of this crucial legislation. Allocating sufficient funding, prioritizing taxpayer money for enforcement and compliance, is essential to ensure the success of this law in 2024 and beyond, benefiting our communities and saving countless animal lives.
On February, 02 of 2023 Assembly Bill AB595 known as Bowie’s Law was introduced by Assemblyman Bill Essayli. The Bill aimed to prevent the unnecessary euthanasia of pets in animal shelters. The bill proposed that shelters must provide a 72-hour online notice before euthanizing an animal, giving them a chance to be adopted. Read more about the Bill
Additionally, AB 595 included provisions for a statewide study to address overcrowding in shelters and develop strategies to reduce euthanasia rates. Despite initial success in advancing through the Assembly Business and Professions Committee, AB 595 DID NOT PASS the Assembly Appropriations Committee. Assemblyman Essayli emphasized the importance of giving adoptable pets the opportunity to find loving homes, citing the tragic case of Bowie, an innocent puppy wrongfully euthanized. Though the bill did not pass, its advocacy shed light on the need for reforms in animal shelter policies to prioritize animal welfare and adoption opportunities.
This year on February, 08 2024 Assemblyman Kevin McCarty introduced AB2265, which echoes similar provisions as previous failed legislation.
The bill mandates:
- That public animal shelters must provide lifesaving public notice before euthanizing an animal that is not irremediably suffering from a serious illness or injury.
- Additionally, it requires public animal shelters to prioritize spay/neuter resources to prevent the overpopulation of unwanted animals.
Given the rising number of pet intakes over the past 3 years and the increase in euthanasia rates for young, adoptable animals, it’s imperative that we support legislators who prioritize animal welfare. We must also encourage all legislators to advance proposed legislation aimed at addressing this issue through their votes.
Please reach out to your Legislators today and request their support for this crucial issue as their constituent.
Demand their support to advocate for appropriate allocations of public funds necessary for implementing these humane measures. Your voice can play a significant role in ensuring the humane treatment and welfare of animals in our communities.
News on this topic:
An assemblyman from California has introduced a bill aimed at safeguarding animals from euthanasia, ensuring that every adoptable pet receives an opportunity to be rehomed…
The suspense file hearing in the California Legislature, happening twice a year, determines the fate of numerous bills without public debate, leaving many bill authors and interested parties frustrated…
During the holiday season, it’s tough for shelters. Adoptions drop, and places like the Bakersfield Animal Care Center and the county pound are feeling the strain…