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CALIFORNIA
ANIMAL BILLS
California Animal Bills Introduced in 2026
AB 1999 Veterinary medicine
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FACT SHEET
Existing law creates various exemptions from the Veterinary Medicine Practice Act. Among those exemptions, existing law exempts practicing veterinary medicine as a bona fide owner of one’s own animal, as specified. This bill would exclude a surgical or dental operation, as defined, from this
exemption. The bill would also exempt from the act an unlicensed person who provides teleconsultation to a California-licensed veterinarian, as specified.
Sponsor: California Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA), California Veterinary Medical Board (CVMB), San Diego Humane Society,
Social Compassion in Legislation (SCIL)
Last Amend: 3/19/2026
Status: 3/19/2026-Referred to Com. on B. & P.
Calendar: Pending B&P Calendar
AB 2010 Veterinary medicine: veterinary surgery premises: spay and neuter services.
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FACT SHEET
This bill, The Veterinary Medicine Practice Act requires all premises where veterinary medicine,
veterinary dentistry, or veterinary surgery is being practiced to be kept clean and sanitary at all times and conform to minimum standards established by the board. This bill would specify that the minimum standards established by the California Veterinary Medical Board shall not require a dedicated surgical suite for any veterinary premises that primarily performs high-quality, high-volume spay or neuter services, as defined.
Sponsor: Animal Balance, ASPCA, San Diego Humane Society, San Francisco SPCA
Last Amend: 3/19/2026
Status: 3/2/2026-Referred to Com. on B. & P.
Calendar: Pending B&P Calendar
AB 2344 Animal abuse: registry: internet publication.
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FACT SHEET
Existing law requires persons convicted of arson and sex crimes to register with local law enforcement, as provided. The Department of Justice is required to make specified information about certain sex offenders available to the public via an internet website and to update that information on
an ongoing basis. This bill would require any person over 18 years of age who is convicted of felony animal abuse, as defined, to register with the appropriate law enforcement agency, as provided, for a period of 10 years from the date of conviction. The bill would require that the registration consist of a signed written statement of specified information, including, but not limited to, legal name and aliases, date of birth, address or current location, name and address of employer, and the specific felony animal abuse conviction for which the person is required to register. The registration would also consist of a photograph of the person, a complete set of fingerprints, and a description of any tattoos, scars, or other distinguishing features on the person’s body that would assist in identifying the person. The bill would require that, within 3 days after the registration, the registering law enforcement agency electronically forward the statement, fingerprints, and photograph of the registrant to the Department of Justice. By increasing duties on local law enforcement, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
Sponsor: Social Compassion in Legislation (SCIL)
Last Amend: 3/19/2026
Status: 3/19/2026-Referred to Com. on Public Safety
Calendar: Pending Public Safety Calendar
AB 2574 Potentially dangerous and vicious dogs: hearings: appeal: notice of owner’s or
keeper’s rights.
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FACT SHEET
Existing law regulates potentially dangerous and vicious dogs. Existing law requires the chief officer of a public animal shelter or animal control department, or the head of a local law enforcement agency, if probable cause exists to believe that a dog is potentially dangerous or vicious, to petition the superior court for a hearing in a limited civil proceeding to determine, upon a preponderance of the evidence, whether the dog should be declared potentially dangerous or vicious. Existing law also authorizes a city or county to establish an administrative hearing procedure to hear and dispose of petitions filed for these purposes. Existing law requires notification to the owner or keeper of a dog that a hearing will be held by the superior court or the hearing entity and that the owner or keeper of the dog is authorized to present evidence as to why the dog should not be declared potentially dangerous or vicious. Existing law requires the owner or keeper of the dog to be served with notice of the hearing and a copy of the petition, either personally or by first-class mail with return receipt requested. Existing law requires that the hearing be held promptly within no less than 5 working days and not more than 10 working days after service of notice. Existing law authorizes a law enforcement or animal control officer, if upon investigation it is determined that probable cause exists to believe a dog poses an immediate threat to public safety, to seize and impound the dog pending a hearing to determine whether the dog should be declared potentially dangerous or vicious. Existing law requires, after that hearing, the owner or keeper of the dog to be notified in writing of the determination and orders issued and, if a determination is made that the dog is potentially dangerous or vicious, requires the owner or keeper of the dog to take specified action, as provided. Existing law authorizes the petitioner or the owner or keeper of the dog to, within 5 days of the receipt of the notice of determination, appeal the decision, as specified. Under existing law, the court hearing the appeal is required to conduct the hearing de novo and to decide the issue upon the preponderance of the evidence. This bill would instead require a city or county to comply with the above-described hearing, notification, and appeal provisions. The bill would also raise the applicable evidentiary standard to by clear and convincing evidence for the determination of whether the dog should be declared potentially dangerous or vicious and appeals on that issue. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws.
Sponsor: None
Last Amend: 3/26/2026
Status: 3/9/2026-Referred to Com. on Judiciary
Calendar: Pending Judiciary Calendar
AB 2609 Tenancy: additional rents and securities: common household pets.
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Existing law, until January 1, 2030, prohibits an owner of residential real property from, over the course of any 12-month period, increasing the gross rental rate, as specified, for a dwelling or a unit more than 5% plus the percentage change in the cost of living, or 10%, whichever is lower, of
the lowest gross rental rate charged for that dwelling or unit at any time during the 12 months before the effective date of the increase, subject to specified conditions. This bill would prohibit an owner of residential real property from charging a tenant additional rent in an amount in excess of 1% of the monthly rental amount due to the residence of a common household pet, as defined, in the dwelling unit.
Sponsor: None
Last Amend: 3/19/2026
Status: 3/19/2026-Referred to Com. on Judiciary
Calendar: Pending Judiciary Calendar
SB 1212 Meat Trade Endangered Animals: kangaroos
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Existing law makes it a misdemeanor to import into the state for commercial purposes, to possess with intent to sell, or to sell within the state the dead body, or a part or product thereof, of a polar bear, leopard, ocelot, tiger, cheetah, jaguar, sable antelope, wolf, zebra, whale, cobra, python, sea turtle, colobus monkey, kangaroo, vicuna, sea otter, free-roaming feral horse, dolphin or porpoise, Spanish lynx, or elephant.
This bill would exempt from that prohibition the import into the state for commercial purposes, possession with intent to sell, or sale within the state of kangaroos if they are harvested in accordance with Australian law, the federal Endangered Species Act, and applicable international conventions, as specified.
Author: (Jones R)
Sponsor: Unknown
Last Amend: 3/26/2026
Status:: 3/26/2026-Referred to Com. on RLS.
Calendar: Pending Calendar
SB 1269 Chiropractors: animal chiropractic practitioners
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FACT SHEET
The Chiropractic Act, enacted by an initiative measure, provides for the licensure and regulation of chiropractors by the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners. A violation of the act is a misdemeanor. This bill would establish a scheme for a licensed chiropractor to be registered by the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners as an animal chiropractic practitioner and would prohibit a chiropractor from practicing animal chiropractic without being registered as an animal chiropractic practitioner unless they are under the direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian. The bill would establish requirements for registration as an animal chiropractic practitioner, including holding a certification from one of specified credentialing organizations or a credentialing organization specified by the board. The bill would establish requirements for practicing animal chiropractic and registering an animal chiropractic premises with the board. The bill would require the board, by regulation, to establish fees for registering an animal chiropractic premises. By authorizing new fees to be deposited into the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners’ Fund, a continuously appropriated fund, the bill would make an appropriation. The bill would require an animal chiropractic practitioner to comply with regulations of the board applicable to chiropractors, would authorize the board to adopt regulations necessary to implement the bill’s provisions, and would require the board, if adopting specified regulations, to consult with the Veterinary Medical Board, including regulations regarding standards of medicine or care for an animal. The bill would make an animal chiropractic practitioner exempt from the Veterinary Medicine Practice Act. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws.
Author: (Ochoa Bogh R)
Sponsor: CA Chiropractic Association
Last Amend:
Status:: 3/4/2026-Referred to Com. on B. P. & E.D.
Calendar: Pending Calendar
SB 1296 Real property: rentals: pet policy.
Existing law governs the obligations of tenants and landlords. Existing law prohibits a landlord who allows an animal on the premises from advertising or establishing rental policies in a manner that requires a tenant or a potential tenant with an animal to have that animal declawed or devocalized as a condition of occupancy, as provided. This bill would require a landlord who allows an animal on the premises to include their pet policy in specified locations, including advertisements and rental application forms, as provided. The bill would require prescribed information be included in the
pet policy, including any breed and weight restrictions, as provided. The bill would require a prospective tenant to acknowledge receipt of the pet policy, as specified. The bill would require any landlord who charges an application fee but fails to disclose their pet policy before charging the fee to
refund the application fee to the applicant, as specified
Sponsor: Michelson Center for Public Policy
Last Amend: 3/19/2026
Status:: 3/4/2026-Referred to Com. on JUD.
Calendar: Pending Calendar
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