animal welfare

Gov. Newsom signs bills to stop the 'Puppy Mill Pipeline' in California

 
At a recent companion animal adoption event at Grossmont Center, a dog waits for a chance to find a new home. California Gov. Gavin Newsom recently signed hree bills in the “Stop The Puppy Mill Pipeline” legislative package. Photo by Karen Pearlman
 
East County News Service
 
Oct. 11, 2025 (Sacramento) -- Unscrupulous, exploitative and abusive "puppy mill" dog breeders are not going to have it easy in California anymore.
 
Just a few days ago, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed all three bills in the “Stop The Puppy Mill Pipeline” legislative package -- looking to reduce consumer fraud and halt animal abuse stemming from sales of companion animals.
 
Senate Bill 312 (Sen. Thomas J. Umberg, D-Santa Ana), Assembly Bill 506 (Assemblymember Steve Bennett, D-Oxnard) and Assembly Bill 519 (Assemblymember Marc Berman, D-Menlo Park) will protect consumers and animals from deceptive practices in the pet industry, close loopholes undermining California law and further protect consumers from fraudulent breeders.
 
All three bills received overwhelming bi-partisan support in both the Assembly and the Senate, and the new laws will take effect on Jan. 1, 2026.

Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

USDA TO REINSTATE VITAL ORGANIC ANIMAL WELFARE PROTECTION GUTTED BY TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

Source:  Center for Food Safety

June 17, 2021 (Washington, D.C.) - In a victory for organic farmers, advocates and animal welfare, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today that it will be reinstating animal welfare standards on farms producing organic meat that were withdrawn during the Trump Administration. Secretary Vilsack announced that the USDA will “reconsider the prior Administration’s interpretation that the Organic Foods Production Act does not authorize USDA to regulate the practices that were the subject of the 2017 Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices (OLPP) final rule,” including meaningful outdoor access for organic chickens and other animal welfare improvements. The Secretary “directed the National Organic Program to begin a rulemaking to address this statutory interpretation and to include a proposal to disallow the use of porches as outdoor space in organic production,” and make other improvements to the original rule.


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

Hot Coupons