Animal welfare.

Existing law requires an authorized officer who makes an arrest relating to the felony offense of dogfighting, as specified, and authorizes an authorized officer who makes an arrest for any of certain offenses relating to animal abuse, including a misdemeanor offense proscribing animal fighting, as specified, to lawfully take possession of the animals. If ownership of the seized animals or birds cannot be determined after reasonable efforts, existing law authorizes the officer or other person designated as custodian of the animals or birds, after holding the animals and birds for a period of not less than 10 days, to petition the magistrate for permission to humanely euthanize or otherwise dispose of the animals or birds. Existing law requires the petition to be published in a newspaper of general circulation. This bill would instead require the petition to be published in a newspaper, online or in print, of general circulation, a social media outlet belonging to a law enforcement agency or a county or appropriate local governmental entity, or a law enforcement internet website.