Bowie’s Law: animals: adoption, shelter overcrowding, and breeding.

Assembly Member Essayli's animal welfare legislation, known as Bowie's Law, introduces new requirements for California animal shelters and dog breeders while initiating a state study on shelter overcrowding. The bill requires animal shelters to maintain online listings of adoptable animals and those being held under state law, with exceptions for animals that are irremediably suffering, newborns requiring maternal care, or dogs documented as dangerous.

The legislation modifies the definition of dog breeders under the Polanco-Lockyer Pet Breeder Warranty Act to include those who transfer two or more litters or 10 or more dogs annually, a change from the previous threshold of three litters or 20 dogs. Breeders must now implant microchips in puppies before eight weeks of age, register new owners with microchip registries upon transfer, and ensure dogs receive immunizations and veterinary health checks before sale. The bill maintains exemptions for pet dealers regulated under separate statutes and for public shelters and rescue organizations.

The Department of Food and Agriculture must examine shelter overcrowding issues and potential solutions, including the feasibility of creating a statewide database of dogs and cats. This study, due to the Legislature by January 2028, will evaluate methods to address capacity challenges in California's animal shelters. Local jurisdictions retain authority to implement stricter breed-specific ordinances, while the state will reimburse local agencies for costs associated with implementing the new requirements if determined necessary by the Commission on State Mandates.