California legislative ban on cat declawing, crackdown on puppy mills set to take effect in 2026
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KABC) -- Several new California laws that will take effect on Jan. 1, 2026, are aimed at protecting pets, including banning cat declawing and cracking down on puppy mills.
In early October, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 867, which bans the practice of declawing cats when not medically necessary. Many other countries also ban the practice, which can lead to pain, infection, and behavioral changes.
"And so if it has to be done, the veterinarians are now required to document why -- the reasons and their procedures and any alternatives that failed, perhaps," said Madeline Bernstein, president of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles.
The pet broker ban aims to close down puppy mills and promote adoption. AB 519 prohibits the sale of dogs, cats and rabbits by third-party sellers.
The pet sales regulations law will give pet buyers new protections. AB 506, authored by Assemblymember Steve Bennett (D-Ventura), aims to hold pet sellers accountable, requiring them to disclose the pet's origin and health information. The legislation also voids contracts that include non-refundable deposits, "which all too often result in a bait-and-switch by committing hopeful pet parents to unhealthy pets - and feeds the puppy mill industry," the governor's office said in a statement.
SB 312, by Senator Thomas Umberg (D-Santa Ana), requires dog importers to submit health certificates electronically to the California Department of Food & Agriculture within 10 days of shipment, and requires CDFA to provide those certificates upon request.
"We're trying to make sure that pet shops are dealing honestly, and we're trying to discourage the high-volume breeding operations that cause a lot of genetic, inherited, recessive-gene activity," Bernstein said in an interview with ABC7.
SB 221 will increase protection from stalkers; it expands protections for pets and emotional-support animals.
The FOUND Act requires local governments to establish protocols for pet rescues during evacuations. AB 478 will also protect animals from euthanasia for 30 days.
And this could help reduce the strain on veterinarians: AB 516 allows registered veterinary technicians and veterinary assistants to perform some services under a vet's supervision.
"It will also free up veterinarians who can now take appointments when you need an appointment for your pet that is beyond the scope of telemedicine or the registered veterinary techs or the veterinary assistants," Bernstein said. "So it does increase access, because just the use of telemedicine could free up time for in-person appointments."
