California Assembly Bill 2152 – Bella’s Act

Great news! Just ahead of National Puppy Mill Awareness Day last Saturday, California’s governor signed a major bill to protect animal welfare in our state.

We first told you about AB 2152, by Assemblymember Todd Gloria, in our post on February 18. In 2017, a landmark California law banned the sale of dogs, cats and rabbits in pet stores, unless supplied by shelters or rescue organizations. Puppy brokers then found a way to fraudulently acquire nonprofit status — misrepresenting the animals they sold to retail outlets as being “rescued” and allowing the stores to charge exorbitant “adoption” fees.

This brand-new law officially closes that loophole and ensures that only pets from genuine shelters and rescue groups may be adopted at pet stores in California. Thank you to Assemblymember Gloria for authoring this bill. Way to go, California! ❤️🐾