Keep California on the forefront of animal welfare

Last week, Marin Humane co-sponsored Animal Advocacy Day at the state Capitol in Sacramento. Joined by national animal welfare organizations, staff and volunteers gathered to learn more about important pending legislation and meet with lawmakers to advocate for our positions. Each year brings new bills on which to focus and this year included:

• Assembly Bill 1399 empowers licensed California veterinarians to utilize video or even a phone call to assess a pet’s needs when appropriate to forego an in-person examination.

We’ve seen how successful telehealth is for people and there’s no reason it can’t be used for our pets. With the ongoing critical shortage of veterinarians resulting in long wait times for in-person appointments, this option can make sure pets are treated more quickly and easily. And with more than 340,000 shelter animals in the state going without adequate medical care, telehealth would transform shelters’ ability to provide it to the animals in their care.

• Assembly Bill 121 awards grants to homeless shelters and domestic violence shelters to allow our most vulnerable populations access to shelter and services while keeping their pet with them.

It’s well documented that many homeless people and those fleeing domestic violence won’t enter shelters for no other reason than they can’t bring their beloved pet with them. For many of these people, their pet is their only lifeline. Many suffer from PTSD and other challenges that are greatly alleviated by having a pet.

• Similarly, Assembly Bill 781 would require local government to designate emergency shelters and warming and cooling centers that can accommodate people and their pets. Not all shelters and centers would have to offer this but at least one in every locality.

We know all too well that in times of emergency, it’s imperative that people get to safety. If they’re faced with not being able to take their pet with them, they may choose not to evacuate. And with more people being able to access emergency shelters with their pets, more resources like emergency response can be freed up.

• Assembly Bill 357 modernizes California law by requiring testing companies to use alternative methods, such as computer modeling and humane cell-based tests, when they’re available and provide information of equivalent or better scientific quality. It would prevent the suffering and death of thousands of animals in California that are subjected to product testing for cosmetics, household and industrial cleaners, and pesticides. The bill would not cover testing for life sciences, such as research into immunizations or cancer treatment.

Animal testing is no longer considered the gold standard and in fact, it carries serious scientific limitations. Its findings often take months or years while computer models, for example, can take just days or even hours.

If you support these bills, too, please reach out to your state representatives and share your opinion. The Assembly will be voting on the bills soon and hopefully, they’ll make it on to the State Senate and then onto the governor’s desk. You can find your state representatives by visiting findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov.

California has shown itself to be on the forefront of protections for animals and the passage of laws here helps other states move forward with their own legislation. Marin residents in particular show great compassion and respect for its animals, whether it’s our pets, animals used in testing or the wildlife around us. We hope that includes you, too.

Lisa Bloch is the marketing and communications director for Marin Humane, which contributes Tails of Marin articles and welcomes animal-related questions and stories about the people and animals in our community. Go to marinhumane.org, find us on social media @marinhumane, or email lbloch@marinhumane.org.