More on Animal Laws

Back in April, we posted a blog about animal legislation around the country and a few people reached out with news from other initiatives, which we’re covering here.

Want to voice your support for one of these issues? Many organizations will create a template you can borrow to contact your representatives, but you can also check out these letter writing tips from the Paw Project. Though they are geared toward supporting declawing bans, there’s still a lot of good general information.

California: SB 585 – Ban on Declawing: introduced, hearing postponed

There’s been a lot of frustration around the proposed ban on declawing in California. Senator Henry Stern has introduced the ban in three out of the last four years, but each time he has been challenged by the California Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA). Proposed amendments to the bill from the CVMA would get rid of fines for infractions, but as Senator Stern does not believe these should be removed, the hearing for the bill is postponed for at least another year.

If you live in California, you can call or write to your representatives voicing your support for a ban on declawing. Consider sending them information or resources about why declawing is inhumane, and encourage them to stand up to the CVMA. The Paw Project has a lot of good resources on their website.

Rhode Island: SB 5616 – Ban on Declawing: introduced, in committee

Rhode Island considered a bill to ban declawing in 2019 (HB 5073), but it died in committee. To date, only one state has passed a statewide declawing ban (New York), though many municipalities have passed bans. It’s certainly a slow, uphill battle to enact declawing bans, but many wonderful animal advocates continue to persist.

If you live in Rhode Island and you would like to tell your legislators that you support the bill, you can use this template.

Florida: HB 911 – Expanding Access to Veterinary Telemedicine: passed the House of Representatives, died in Senate committee

According to the ASPCA, “An outdated Florida law forbids veterinarians from practicing veterinary medicine or prescribing drugs unless they have seen the animal within the previous twelve months—a difficult, often unnecessary obstacle. Current Florida law stands in the way of veterinarians being able to provide adequate care via telemedicine during this unprecedented time.”

The bill would have increased access to veterinary telemedicine. Though the bill did not make it to a vote in the Senate, if you live in Florida, you can still use this template to send a letter to your legislator to voice your support for expanding access to veterinary telemedicine.

New Hampshire: extension of Section 264:31 – Mandated Reporting for Hitting a Cat in a Car: passed the House of Representatives

Section 264:31 already requires anyone who hits a dog in their car to report the accident to the owner of the dog, or to law enforcement. The current law does not protect cats or any other pets, but the extension would apply to “animals that traditionally are domestic animals that you keep in your house.” The bill has passed the House of Representatives with bipartisan support and is expected to pass the Senate as well.

Colorado: HB 21 -1160 – Socially Conscious Sheltering: signed into law

Governor Jared Polis of Colorado recently signed into law HB 21-1160, which supports the principles of Socially Conscious Sheltering by establishing a standard of care for animals in shelters and rescues. The law will also prohibit euthanasia in cases where animals exhibit no signs of illness, animals with illnesses that have a good prognosis for quality of life, and if the animal is not deemed dangerous to humans or other animals. You can watch Governor Polis sign the bill into law at the Colorado Dumb Friends League here.

We love hearing from you, so let us know if there are other laws or current events you’d like to see us cover.