California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly BillNo. 1810


Introduced by Assembly Member Maienschein

February 18, 2014


An act to amend Sections 1834.5 and 1834.6 of the Civil Code, relating to deposits.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 1810, as introduced, Maienschein. Deposits for keeping: abandoned animals.

Existing law requires a veterinarian, dog kennel, cat kennel, pet-grooming parlor, animal hospital, or any other animal care facility, as provided, to humanely destroy an abandoned animal, if unable to place the animal with a new owner.

This bill, instead, would authorize the euthanasia of the abandoned animal under those circumstances.

Existing law prohibits a person from using an abandoned animal for experimentation and prohibits a person from turning over an abandoned animal to a pound or animal regulation department of a public agency.

This bill, instead, would allow a person to turn an abandoned animal over to a public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shelter, or humane society shelter, provided that the shelter has been contacted and has not refused to take the animal.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

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SECTION 1.  

Section 1834.5 of the Civil Code is amended to
2read:

3

1834.5.  

begin insert(a)end insertbegin insertend insertNotwithstanding any other provision of law,
4wheneverbegin delete anyend deletebegin insert anend insert animal is delivered tobegin delete anyend deletebegin insert aend insert veterinarian, dog
5kennel, cat kennel, pet-grooming parlor, animal hospital, or any
6other animal care facility pursuant tobegin delete anyend deletebegin insert aend insert written or oral
7agreement entered into after the effective date of this section, and
8the owner ofbegin delete suchend deletebegin insert theend insert animal does not pick up the animal within
914 calendar days after the day the animal was due to be picked up,
10the animal shall be deemed to be abandoned. The person into whose
11custody the animal was placed for care shall first try for a period
12of not less than 10 days to find a new owner for the animal, and,
13if unable to place the animal with a new owner,begin delete shall thereafter
14humanely destroyend delete
begin insert may euthanizeend insert the animal so abandoned.

begin delete

15If

end delete

16begin insert(b)end insertbegin insertend insertbegin insertIf end insertan animal so abandoned was left with a veterinarian or
17with a facilitybegin delete whichend deletebegin insert thatend insert has a veterinarian, and a new owner
18cannot be found pursuant to this section,begin delete suchend deletebegin insert theend insert veterinarianbegin delete shall
19humanely destroyend delete
begin insert may euthanizeend insert the animal.

begin delete

20There

end delete

21begin insert(c)end insertbegin insertend insertbegin insertThere end insertshall be a notice posted in a conspicuous place, or in
22conspicuous type in a written receipt given, to warnbegin delete eachend deletebegin insert aend insert person
23depositing an animal atbegin delete suchend deletebegin insert anend insert animal carebegin delete facilitiesend deletebegin insert facilityend insert of
24the provisions of this section.

25

SEC. 2.  

Section 1834.6 of the Civil Code is amended to read:

26

1834.6.  

An abandoned animal, as described in Section 1834.5,
27shall not be used for scientific or any other type ofbegin delete experimentation,
28nor shall such an abandoned animal be turned over to a pound or
29animal regulation department of a public agency.end delete
begin insert experimentation.
30An abandoned animal may be turned over to a public animal
31control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to
32animals shelter, or humane society shelter, provided that the shelter
33has been contacted and has not refused to take the animal.end insert



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