Animal Stewardship

Animal Stewardship

By Assemblymember Marie Waldron

Since joining the Legislature I have authored, co-authored and supported numerous bills aimed at protecting pets and wildlife. Fortunately, most of this legislation is now law.

My bills include legislation that created the Native California Wildlife Rehabilitation Voluntary Fund, allowing taxpayers to check off contributions on their tax returns to support injured or sick wildlife. Another bill prohibits the sale or transfer of shelter animals to research facilities for experimentation or testing. I co-authored legislation limiting the use of mile-long gill nets and encouraging the transition to modern, less destructive techniques for harvesting coastal fisheries. I also co-authored legislation requiring any public or private college or university that uses dogs or cats for research to offer those animals for adoption once they are no longer needed, along with a bill that indemnifies good Samaritans who break into hot cars to rescue trapped animals. Another co-authored bill bans cosmetics manufactured or developed using animal testing, and this session I am co-authoring AB 128 to prevent the sale of wild horses for slaughter when purchased at public auction.

Over the years I have supported legislation that bans puppy mill stores; that encourages adoption of stray animals from shelters; that requires the Department of Justice to report statistics on arrests for animal abuse, and that limits civil liability for first responders who provide first aid for dogs or cats.

I love California’s diverse, native wildlife. Back in the mid-1990’s I was trained as a Project Wildlife Native songbird rehabilitator and have had the joy of raising many, many orphaned or injured songbirds and returning them to the wild. We are so blessed throughout our state to have amazing habitats and truly special native species. In so many ways, their well-being is our responsibility.