California takes action to end ‘puppy mill pipeline,’ protect cats

CALIFORNIA — Governor Gavin Newsom on October 9 signed a set of animal welfare bills aimed at cutting off the “puppy mill pipeline” and strengthening protections for pets—especially dogs and cats.

The new laws crack down on deceptive pet sales, increase transparency around animal breeding, and ban unethical practices such as unnecessary declawing of cats.

Stopping the Puppy Mill Pipeline

Conditions in puppy mills have been documented as crowded, unsanitary, lacking veterinary care, with inadequate food, water, and abuse of breeding animals.

Nearly 88,000 dogs have been imported into California since 2018, according to the LA Times.

Under AB 506 pet sellers must now disclose a pet’s origins and health history. Contracts that include nonrefundable deposits will be voidable—tactics often used by unscrupulous breeders.

AB 519 bans third-party pet brokers—especially online sellers, from marketing puppies, kittens, or rabbits bred by others purely for profit in California.
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SB 312 requires dog importers to submit health certificates to the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) within 10 days. CDFA must make those documents accessible upon request.

Protecting Cats Too

Newsom also signed AB 867, which outlaws declawing of cats except in medically necessary cases. Critics say the practice causes pain, infection, and behavioral changes.

California is now the fifth U.S. state to enact a statewide ban on declawing, following New York, Maryland, Virginia, and Massachusetts.

Enforcement & Timeline

These laws will take effect January 1, 2026. Newsom’s office framed the legislation as shining a light on abusive breeding practices.

“Sunlight is the best disinfectant,” Newsom said in a statement.

He says these bills build on California’s previous moves to ban retail sales of dogs, cats, and rabbits from pet stores, ban fur sales, and prohibit toxicity testing on pets.