Public health: prohibition on the retail sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits.

Existing law, the Pet Store Animal Care Act, requires pet store operators, as defined, to comply with laws governing, among other things, the care of animals in pet stores. Existing law makes a pet store operator who violates these provisions guilty of a misdemeanor, unless otherwise provided. Existing law prohibits a pet store operator from selling a live dog, cat, or rabbit in a pet store unless the animal was obtained from a public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shelter, humane society shelter, or rescue group, as specified. Existing law imposes various requirements on a pet store operator, including, among others, that the pet store maintain sufficient records to document the origin of each dog, cat, or rabbit the pet store sells or provides space for, for at least one year. Existing law exempts a pet store operator who violates those provisions from criminal prosecution and imposes a civil penalty on pet store operators for those violations. This bill, instead, would prohibit a pet store from adopting out, selling, or offering for sale a dog, cat, or rabbit. The bill would authorize a pet store to provide space to a public animal control agency or shelter, or an animal rescue group, to showcase adoptable animals provided the animal displayed for adoption is both sterilized and adoptable for total fees not to exceed $500. The bill would prohibit the pet store displaying the dogs, cats, or rabbits from receiving any fees in connection with that display. The bill would prohibit a public animal control agency or shelter, an animal rescue group displaying animals at a pet store, or an animal rescue group operating a retail establishment from offering dogs, cats, or rabbits for adoption unless the animals are sterilized, the animals are adoptable for total fees, including adoption fees, not exceeding $500, and the adoption fees are posted and visible to the public, as described. The bill would authorize civil penalties and injunctive relief for a violation of these provisions, as specified. The bill would also repeal other requirements, including, among others, the requirement for a pet store to maintain sufficient records to document the origin of each dog, cat, or rabbit the pet store sells or provides space for adoption.