New California Laws Regulate Dog Sales – What They Mean for Breeders and Rescues

In September 2024, the Los Angeles Times published an extensive report on the market for dog importation into California. The investigative report described a market filled with unscrupulous brokers masquerading as animal rescues; these actors often sold sick puppies while fraudulently masking their origin; in some cases, these puppies were falsely advertised as being AKC-registered.

This investigation garnered attention in the media and spotlight on the issue at the State Capitol in Sacramento and ultimately led to a three-bill package introduced in January 2025 to bring transparency and a reduction in fraud in the market for pet dogs.  AKC worked with the authors and sponsors throughout the process to ensure that AKC clubs and responsible breeders are protected, and thanks the legislature for not passing extreme legislation that could harm breeders or AKC sports:

• Senate Bill 312 – This bill sought to clarify where Certificates of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) for imported dogs into the state for transfer would be collected. Although CVIs are already required by law, the LA Times investigation detailed confusion over whether these CVIs were to be sent to counties or directly to the State. Because the state had contended that the CVIs should be sent exclusively to the counties, CVIs that were sent to the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) were being destroyed. Senate Bill 312 cleared up confusion by requiring that CVIs be sent directly to the CDFA and be kept for five years.The original bill also included a provision for a website that would have displayed information on CVIs, including personally identifiable information and contact information for both buyers and sellers. AKC—working with the chief sponsor of the proposal San Diego Humane Society and the bill’s author, Senator Tom Umberg—advocated along with local clubs to ensure Californians’ privacy rights were protected. The website was ultimately scrapped from the bill and the AKC supported the final iteration.
• Assembly Bill 506 initially sought to ban certain contracts by brokers involving non-refundable deposits. Through negotiation with the proposal’s chief sponsor, ASPCA and the bill’s author, Assemblymember Steve Bennett, the AKC was able to advance an amended bill that closely resembles portions of the AKC’s model bill for consumer protection.

The final version of Assembly Bill 506 requires additional disclosures from those who sell dogs (including breeders and animal rescues, but excluding shelters) to Californians including the dog’s origin, basic health status, and what type of inoculations have been given, if any at all.  Passage of this bill means that consumers who suspect they have been defrauded will now have greater recourse available to them. The AKC was proud to support Assembly 506; a bill that protects responsible dog breeders and brings greater transparency and protection for dog buyers.

• Assembly Bill 519 looked to completely ban the brokering of dogs, the issue at the heart of the LA Times investigation. As introduced, the banned class included those who sell dogs they did not personally breed, and also excluded animal shelters, or legitimate animal rescues. As the AKC doesn’t support measures that restrict legitimate sources of dogs, we did not support the proposal.

However, the AKC greatly appreciates the consideration given to our concerns from the bill’s chief sponsor and, Assemblymember Marc Berman. The AKC advocated for service and police dogs to be excluded along with exemptions of up to three dog transfers per year and no prohibitions of transfers of dogs over the age of one year. Inclusion of these exemptions along with the increased attention on bad actors posing as animal rescues, has brought positive attention to fraud related to the problematic ban on purpose bred dogs at retail stores in California.

On October 9, Governor Gavin Newsom signed all three bills, which will take effect on January 1, 2026.

To read more about how these new laws will affect puppy buyers in California, click here.

To read more about how these new laws will affect you as a California-based breeder, click here.

To read more about how these new laws will affect you as a California-based rescue, click here.

Please note that these summaries are for informational purposes only.  For specific legal questions regarding these new laws, contact state officials or legal experts in California.

For questions or more information on California legislation and being effective advocates for your dogs, contact AKC Government Relations at doglaw@akc.org

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Posted by Liz on Nov 4 2025. Filed under Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.