California rolls out multiple new animal welfare reforms

This year, California is increasing its focus on animal welfare, with several new protection laws that took effect on January 1, 2026. The measures span a range of reforms, from increased veterinary access to shelters, to broadening the roles of veterinary technicians and assistants to improve access to care.

According to news reports, the legislation was a result of lobbying efforts by a coalition of advocacy groups led by the San Diego Humane Society.¹

Two of the laws, Assembly Bill (AB) 516 and Senate Bill (SB) 602, aim to expand shelter veterinary access. AB 516 allows registered veterinary technicians (RVTs) and veterinary assistants to perform any medical task they are not expressly prohibited from doing. Under the new law, RVTs are permitted to perform any work duties that do not involve surgery, diagnosis, prognosis, or prescribing medications. Supervising veterinarians will continue to have discretion over which tasks their staff may perform, even when those tasks are legally permitted. The bill further specifies that RVTs may carry out dental procedures, including extractions, under the supervision of a veterinarian licensed or authorized to practice in California.²

Under SB 602, registered veterinary technicians in animal shelters will be able to conduct essential appointments such as vaccines and parasite control without a supervising veterinarian being physically present onsite. By removing the need for a veterinarian to be onsite for routine care, shelters might be able to reach more animals at a faster pace, according to Nina Thompson, director of public relations at the San Diego Humane Society.³ This could in turn, help relieve shelter capacity pressure by moving pets more quickly into homes.

Currently, the San Diego Humane Society is facing an overcrowding crisis of dogs at their main campus, leading the organization to house dogs in some of their cat kennels.¹

Additional laws sponsored by the San Diego Humane Society include⁴:

AB 519, Closing the Pet Broker Loophole: Prohibits pet brokers and other entities from selling animals bred by third parties or doing business in California. According to San Diego Humane Society, the measure is intended to curb the sale of puppy mill dogs marketed as locally raised pets.

SB 312, Puppy Importation Transparency Act: Requires dog importers to digitally submit health certificates to the California Department of Food and Agriculture within 10 days of shipment. The certificates, which identify breeders and document the dog’s health, will be publicly accessible to help consumers and regulators identify unethical breeding and transport practices.

AB 506, Protecting Pets from Predatory Practices: Targets deceptive online pet sales by voiding certain contracts, including those requiring nonrefundable deposits or failing to disclose an animal’s origin before purchase. The law also requires sellers to issue refunds within 30 days if a puppy becomes unavailable.

“It’s so incredibly important to us that we look at the big picture,” Nina Thompson, director of public relations at the San Diego Humane Society, said in a news video.¹ “It’s not just about the micro here in San Diego County, it’s about the macro in the entire country.”

References

1. New animal-protection laws starting in California in 2026. NBC San Diego. December 30, 2025. Accessed January 13, 2026. https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/new-california-animal-protection-laws-starting-in-2026/3953027/
2. Assembly Bill 516 Veterinary Staff Duties. San Diego Humane Society. Accessed January 13, 2026. https://secure.sdhumane.org/site/DocServer/AB_516_Veterinary_Staff_Duties_Kalra_Fact_Sheet.pdf
3. Sklar D. Humane Society to benefit from year’s new animal welfare laws. The Alpine Sun. January 9, 2026. Accessed January 13, 2026. https://thealpinesun.com/humane-society-to-benefit-from-years-new-animal-welfare-laws/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CBy%20allowing%20Registered%20Veterinary%20Technicians,reach%20more%20animals%2C%20faster.%E2%80%9D
4. Five New Animal Welfare Laws Sponsored by San Diego Humane Society Take Effect Jan. 1, 2026. San Diego Humane Society. December 29, 2025. Accessed January 13, 2026