California, Urge State Lawmakers to Stop the Puppy Mill Pipeline

Keeping Puppy Mill Cruelty Out of California

ASPCA Position: Support

Update — October 10, 2025: In unanimous or almost unanimous votes, ALL THREE puppy mill bills passed the California Legislature last month. Yesterday, they finally crossed the finish line when Governor Newsom signed them into law! Thank you for each action you took throughout this legislative session to help these bills become law and protect vulnerable animals.

While retail puppy sales ended in California a few years ago, an investigative report conducted by the Los Angeles Times uncovered a disturbing underground puppy resale market that has been using deceptive tactics to keep the puppy mill pipeline alive in the Golden State.

In partnership with the ASPCA and San Diego Humane Society, state lawmakers passed a package of bills to close these legal loopholes and keep puppy mill cruelty out of California for good.

Each bill attacks the problems from a specific angle. As a package, they disable the out-of-state breeders who have been tricking unknowing Californians into purchasing cruelly bred dogs. Thank you for using your voice to encourage lawmakers to pass these bills during the 2025 state legislative session.

1. Closing the “Puppy Broker” Loophole (A.B. 519)
A puppy broker is a middleman who obtains puppies in bulk from commercial breeders and resells them to consumers. This bill will clearly define the term “broker” under California law and prohibit them from selling or transferring a dog, cat or rabbit for profit in California. People can still obtain a pet directly from a breeder, breed-specific rescue or shelter, but this bill closes a loophole that has enabled consumer fraud and animal cruelty.

2. Protecting Pets from Predatory Practices (A.B. 506)This bill relates to puppies purchased online and shipped to individuals in California. Many websites that sell puppies are giant, largely unregulated marketplaces, representing puppy mills all over the country. These sites function as puppy brokers, too (see above). This bill will stop them from charging predatory, nonrefundable deposits and require the websites to disclose the original source of each pet, making families less likely to be tricked into purchasing from a puppy mill.

3. Puppy Importation Transparency Act (S.B. 312)This bill also relates to puppies purchased online and shipped to individuals in California. It will protect the health and welfare of puppies transported into the state for sale by improving protocols around health certificates, the official documents certifying a pet’s health. The bill will define the criteria for a complete health certificate and require that these certificates are submitted to state authorities within 10 days of transport. Most notably, this bill boosts transparency by requiring state authorities to make health certificates publicly available in compliance with the California Public Records Act.

What You Can Do

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Advocacy Alert

Your Message

Subject Please Sign A.B. 506, 519 and S.B. 312 to Stop Puppy Mill Cruelty

Dear Governor Newsom,

Message

As a Californian concerned about animal welfare, I ask that you please sign A.B. 506 (Bennett), A.B. 519 (Berman) and S.B. 312 (Umberg) into law. These three bills will protect animals and consumers from deceptive and harmful practices and shut down California’s puppy mill pipeline for good. This bill package increases transparency, closes existing loopholes that allow puppy mills to import cruelly bred dogs into California and offers a clear path to justice for families exploited by predatory pet sellers.

California has long been a leader in enacting strong protections for companion animals, and A.B. 506, A.B. 519 and S.B. 312 will all strengthen and continue that legacy. At a time when our state’s shelters are overwhelmed with adoptable animals in need of homes, this package of bills offers a solution to end the demand for cruelly bred puppies and kittens and prioritizes the welfare of pets who need our care and support the most.

Thank you for your time and consideration of my views.

Sincerely,

[First Name] [Last Name]
[Your Address]

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