BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1363
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Date of Hearing: April 29, 2015
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE
Henry T. Perea, Chair
AB 1363
(Salas) - As Amended March 26, 2015
SUBJECT: Animals: estrays: livestock animals.
SUMMARY: Adds "other livestock animals" to the list of animals
defined as estray when impounded or seized and the owner is
unknown, and makes technical changes.
EXISTING LAW establishes requirements for the seizure,
management, and care of estrays; defines "estray" to mean any
impounded or seized bovine animal, horse, mule, sheep, swine, or
burro whose owner is unknown or cannot be located; requires that
any animal seized by, or that comes into the possession of, an
inspector pursuant to those provisions, be disposed of in
accordance with specified requirements; and, makes it a
misdemeanor to violate specified provisions governing the care
and treatment of animals, including estrays.
FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown. Legislative Counsel has keyed this
bill fiscal.
COMMENTS: According to the author, this bill seeks to expand
the definition of what the state defines as an "estray" to
better reflect additional types of domestic animals popular with
AB 1363
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California farmers, ranchers, and landowners, including but not
limited to, goats and alpacas.
According to the USDA Census on Agriculture in 2012, California
had a total of 43,252 dairy goats living on 1,416 individual
farms, more than any other state with the exception of
Wisconsin. A similar trend exists for alpacas. Since their
introduction to California in 1983, alpaca ownership now extends
to nearly 200 farms in California and the state boasts
sixty-seven individual alpaca breeders (several with herd sizes
in excess of 100) serving the growing industry.
By expanding the definition of "estray" livestock owners can be
assured that their farm animals will be granted the protection
of the existing regulations and that the law will be followed
when dealing with all types of livestock animals.
The estray law was originally directed toward commercial
livestock and animals. The committee may wish to consider if
this proposed definition expansion of "estray" is too broad and
should be narrowed. Limiting the definition to goats and
alpacas may be sufficient to protect the commercial operations
of these animals while not including domesticated animals used
as pets or for non-commercial purposes. The cost of recapture
and caring for these animals has been increasing, and while many
non-profit shelters offer their services, there remains a cost
to the state, counties and cities in the handling of such
estrays. Many of these animals may not have a commercial
purpose but be housed as pets or be rescued animals due to
mistreatment.
AB 1363
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REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:
Support
None on file
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by:Jim Collin / AGRI. / (916) 319-2084