BREAKING NEWS ON OCT. 13, 2017:
California Governor Jerry Brown Signs AB 485 Into Law
Bans Sales of Dogs and Cats from Puppy Mills

Read the HSVMA support letter for this legislation below along with veterinary endorsements from HSVMA members.

Dear California Senator: 

We are writing on behalf of the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association (HSVMA) to express our support for Assembly Bill 485, legislation that would require that California pet stores limit retail sales of dogs, cats and rabbits to animals obtained from animal shelters or rescue organizations.

The framework in which pet sales occur is changing dramatically.  A significant majority of pet stores in California no longer sell live animals obtained from commercial breeding operations.  Instead, many operate successfully using a viable business model in which they partner with rescue organizations to offer animals for adoption in their stores and achieve mutually beneficial results. 

By severing connections with inherently inhumane commercial breeding enterprises known as ‘mills’ the pet stores are no longer supporting businesses which often house animals in substandard conditions, provide inadequate veterinary medical care and little to no socialization. As veterinarians, we have seen many of these animals in our practices after they have been purchased by Golden State families and end up with severe health and behavior problems, causing unanticipated expenses and severe heartbreak for all involved.

Conversely, by partnering with rescue groups and shelters to offer animals for adoption in their stores, pet shops are helping to reduce the societal burdens of housing and/or euthanizing so many animals and also creating goodwill among the adopters, many of whom will become loyal customers for their pet supply needs.

We join many animal protection organizations, including the San Francisco SPCA, Best Friends, the ASPCA and the Humane Society of the United States in supporting AB 485.  Thirty-five jurisdictions in California alone, and many additional ones across the country, have already enacted similar legislation.

Thank you for your support of this humane legislation. 

Signed by the following California licensed veterinary professionals: 

  • Paula Kislak, DVM, HSVMA Board of Directors member, Montecito
  • Barbara Hodges, DVM, MBA, HSVMA Veterinary Advisor, Dixon
  • Adrianna Ampe, RVT, La Quinta
  • Richard Bachman, DVM, Vallejo
  • Kassey Baldwin, RVT, Ramona
  • Lisa Barron, DVM, Los Angeles
  • Nicole Beeman-Stanclift, DVM, Oceanside
  • Josette Bevirt, DVM, Chula Vista
  • Laura Bradley, Veterinary student, Aliso Viejo
  • Ed Branam, DVM, Davis
  • Serena Brenner, DVM, Davis
  • Jessica Brown, DVM, Long Beach
  • Shannon Brown, RVT, Saint Maries
  • Lauren Burns, RVT, San Jose
  • Misty Cain, RVT, Vacaville
  • Alicia Campos, RVT, Santa Rosa
  • Aglaia Cardona, DVM, Capitola
  • Lydia Caronna-Craig, Clinic manager, Sacramento
  • Ellen Chiantelli, CVT, Carlsbad
  • Jennifer Conrad, DVM, Santa Monica
  • Deborah Cousyn, DVM, Valley Springs
  • Shannon Coyner, RVT, Ventura
  • Julie Dobbs, Veterinary student, Davis
  • W. Jean Dodds, DVM, Santa Monica
  • Eric Eisenman, DVM, San Francisco
  • Belinda Evans, DVM, Novato
  • Mary Fedor, RVT, Hollister
  • Sara Ford, DVM, La Jolla
  • Brenda Forsythe, DVM, Santa Maria
  • Greg Frankfurter, DVM, Davis
  • Patricia Gilbert, DVM, San Diego
  • Keia Goode, RVT, Hemet
  • Charles Graber, RVT, Novato
  • Madeline Graham, DVM, Los Angeles
  • Shirley Greene, RVT, Lompoc
  • Amy Hansen, Veterinary student, Davis
  • Caroline Hardman, RVT, Creston
  • Peggy Haissig, RVT, Lagunitas
  • Peter Henriksen, DVM, Occidental
  • Tiva Hoshizaki, BVSC, Mountain View
  • Victoria Hsu, Veterinary student, Davis
  • Han Huang, DVM, Redlands
  • DeLynn Humphrey, DVM, Riverside
  • Jill Johnson, RVT, Tracy
  • Vickie Joseph, DVM, Lincoln
  • Cynthia Karsten, DVM, Davis
  • Barry Kipperman, DVM, Dublin
  • Elizabeth Klingler, RVT, Campbell
  • Julia Kochan, DVM, Cardiff
  • Monica Kratochvil, RVT, Woodland
  • Donna Kuck, DVM, San Jose
  • Minka Kulenovic, Veterinary technician student, La Jolla
  • Kate Kuzminski, DVM, Felton
  • Barbara Laderman-Jones, DVM, Roseville
  • Dale Leininger, Veterinary technician student, San Francisco
  • Michael McCoy, DVM, Imperial Beach
  • Shelly McNutt, RVT, Orland
  • Peter Mangravite, DVM, Santa Barbara
  • Monica Martinez, RVT, Sacramento
  • Johanna Matthews, RVT, Santa Clara
  • River May, DVM, Santa Cruz
  • Jacqueline Menger, DVM, Valencia
  • Samantha Michel, RVT, San Diego
  • Anne Miller, DVM, Novato
  • Julie Moews, DVM, Carlsbad
  • Bethann Palermo, DVM, Sonoma
  • Beverly Penzien, DVM, Martinez
  • Angela Pollock, RVT, Fairfax
  • Edward Powers, DVM, Napa
  • Diana Rawls, DVM, Ontario
  • Andrea Reese, RVT, Novato
  • Katie Restrepo, RVT, Chula Vista
  • Andrea Rogoff, RVT, La Puente
  • Marissa Saenz, Veterinary Student, Valley Village
  • Rachel Schochet, DVM, Long Beach
  • Heather Schrader, RVT, Davis
  • Frank Sherman, RVT, Alameda
  • Laurie Siperstein-Cook, DVM, Davis
  • Christina Sisk, DVM, Ventura
  • Jadwiga Slowicka, RVT, Laguna Hills
  • Amberly Sokoloff, VMD, Roseville
  • Cary Spatz, RVT, San Anselmo
  • Jessica Stergos, RVT, Encinitas
  • Lindsay Swirble, DVM, San Jose
  • Bronwyn Szignarowitz, DVM, Pilot Hill
  • Regina Taylor, RVT, Ramona
  • Shelley Thilenius, DVM, San Diego
  • Rasha Torky, RVT, San Diego
  • Sharon Torrisi, DVM, Hermosa Beach
  • Naomi Turner, DVM, Los Angeles
  • Kim Uhlich, RVT, Santa Rosa Valley
  • Kristin Unverferth, DVM, Summerland
  • Elizabeth Vazquez, DVM, Sacramento
  • Laurie Walcutt, RVT, Culver CIty
  • Nancy Walters, DVM, Occidental
  • Phoenix Watt, DVM, Escondido
  • Elizabeth White, RVT, San Monica
  • Erica Wight, Veterinary student, Davis
  • Sarah Williams, Veterinary Student, Davis
  • Madeline Wright, Veterinary assistant, Los Angeles
  • Bonnie Yoffe-Sharp, DVM, Woodside
  • Tiffany Yoshioka-Caughey, RVT, Newark

 

ADD  YOUR NAME TO THIS SUPPORT LIST.