Want a pet? The California legislature is trying to make that harder

For years, local pet shops have provided healthy, loving pets to caring animal lovers across California. These responsible and ethical entrepreneurs are at risk as misguided advocates push Assembly Bill 485 to ban cat, dog and rabbit sales statewide.

Proponents of the bill, which was passed by the Committee on Business and Professions on Tuesday, say it will ensure healthier pets in California. This is untrue. Pet stores are the most regulated source of dogs, cats and rabbits in the state. State law requires pet retailers to be transparent with consumers, and to provide records and warranties for each dog that they sell. These measures are consistent with high standards the responsible pet trade has long advocated. They protect both pets and consumers from unethical businesses.

Federal law further protects consumers and pets by requiring that retailers only source pets from breeders licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture or exempted hobby breeders.

If Assembly Bill 485 becomes law, shelters and rescues will become the only source of cats, dogs and rabbits for retailers. While shelters and rescues frequently do great work, they are almost unregulated in California. This allows great shelters to be undermined by bad actors. For example, two California shelters were recently found to be engaging in substandard practices and abuse of dozens of animals that could have been caught much earlier had the shelters been subject to proper oversight.

PIJAC opposes AB485 because it accomplishes none of the goals claimed by its advocates – it does nothing to close unscrupulous, illegal breeders who cannot legally sell to pet stores. It also has no impact on shelter and rescue populations, as shelters and rescues routinely import far more dogs than they take in from local owners.

The bill will, however, undermine laws which protect pets and pet owners. It will harm consumer choice. And it will risk the livelihoods of dozens of small business owners and their hundreds of employees.

In California, responsible retailers provide pets that best fit the health, lifestyle and other needs of prospective owners. A recent Moore Information survey of dog owners found that dogs desired for distinctive characteristics frequently come from retailers. Animal shelters regularly do great work connecting pets with pet lovers, but they often do not have access to records for a dog’s health, genetics and other critical information that help place a companion animal in the best home.

Retailers have this information to share this information with prospective pet owners, which is why the purchase of a pet from a pet store is frequently the catalyst for a trusted, lifelong relationship. Many pet owners know they can trust a local retailer to be their ethical partner in finding and caring for their ideal companion.

Pet stores are also required by state law to provide warranties for dogs and cats sold to consumers. Shelters and rescues have no such legal obligations. If stores can only source their dogs, cats and rabbits from shelters and rescues, they will no longer be able to provide this warranty protection to prospective pet owners.

The pet-owning public won’t be the only ones losing out if Assembly Bill 485 becomes law. There are hundreds of hard-working Californians in pet retail whose jobs will be at risk. They are part of a wider industry that employs 98,000 Californians, according to a recent economic study we commissioned.

But even single mothers and struggling college students employed by retailers aren’t at greatest risk from AB485. That dubious honor, ironically, goes to pets. By targeting principled, regulated retailers and breeders, AB485 risks driving people to the black market where unsupervised sales of rabbits, cats and dogs empower unethical, illegal breeders and sellers who don’t adhere to the high standards of the responsible pet trade.

California lawmakers should reject Assembly Bill 485. It serves no good purpose for the people and pets of California. It hurts businesses and their employees. It puts the health of the pet community at risk. And it denies prospective pet owners the opportunity to find their ideal companion. Those of us who care for pets on a daily basis seek the opportunity to work with lawmakers to develop alternative legislation that truly benefits everyone.

Mike Bober is President and CEO of the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council. PIJAC members include retailers, companion animal suppliers, manufacturers, wholesale distributors, manufacturers’ representatives, pet hobbyists, and other trade organizations.