CaliforniaAccessibility to emergency information and services: evacuations: pets.
What it does
Existing law, the California Emergency Services Act, provides that political subdivisions, as defined, have full power during a local emergency to provide mutual aid to any affected area in accordance with local ordinances, resolutions, emergency plans, or agreements. Existing law defines "emergency plan" for these purposes to mean official and approved documents that describe the principles and methods to be applied in carrying out emergency operations or rendering mutual aid during emergencies. Existing law requires that a county send a copy of its emergency plan to the Office of Emergency Services upon an update to the plan.
More detail
Existing law requires a city or county to make available to the public by posting on its internet website information for pet emergency preparedness, including, but not limited to, information for creating an evacuation plan and emergency checklist for pets consistent with recommendations publicly published by the Department of Food and Agriculture and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
This bill, upon the next update to a city's or county's emergency plan, would require a city or county to update its emergency plan to designate procedures for the rescue of a pet, as defined, from an area subject to an evacuation order, as defined, subject to approval by the incident commander in coordination with the emergency management authority, that at the time of the evacuation the pet's owner believed to be alive. The bill would require that the procedures establish timelines or conditions in which rescues can occur as safely as possible. The bill would specify that nothing in these provisions is to be construed to grant any person the absolute right to reenter an evacuation zone, and would require all reentry to be subject to incident conditions and approval by the designated incident commander in coordination with the emergency management authority. The bill, upon the next update to a city's or county's emergency plan, would also require a city or county to update its emergency plan to designate a person or entity for a person with a residence in an area subject to an evacuation order to call if the person is in need of information regarding pets during an evacuation, as specified.
This bill would require a city or county to make available to the public by posting on its internet website, among other things, contact information for the above-described person or entity designated to provide information regarding evacuating pets during an evacuation.
This bill would prohibit a pet rescued or originating from an area subject to an evacuation order, as defined, from being made available for adoption, euthanized, or transferred out of the custody of the local animal control agency or its in-state partner animal shelters, animal rescues, or animal fosters for at least 30 days, except as specified. The bill would authorize a local animal control agency to transfer a pet to its in-state partners during the 30-day period if the local animal control agency maintains records of the location of the pet in order to facilitate owner reunification. After the 30-day period has passed, the bill would prohibit the pet from being euthanized if an animal rescue organization has previously notified the local animal control agency of their willingness to take custody of the pet and completes that transfer upon the conclusion of the 30-day period.
By imposing new duties on local government agencies, the bill would create a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2025
- Oct 13Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 695, Statutes of 2025.Latest
- Oct 13Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Sep 24Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.To Governor
- Sep 12Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 80. Noes 0. Page 3377.).Major
- Vote recorded AB 478 Zbur Concurrence in Senate Amendments. Result: pass.Lower
- Sep 12In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
- Sep 11Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 2933.).Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Special Consent AB478 Zbur et al. By Allen. Result: pass.Upper
- Sep 9Ordered to special consent calendar.
- Sep 8Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Sep 5Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.Major
- Sep 2Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 29Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.Major
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 29From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 29).Major
- Aug 18In committee: Referred to suspense file.Minor
- Vote recorded Placed on suspense file. Result: pass.Upper
- Jul 16Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Major
- Jul 15From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (July 14).Major
- Jul 14
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Upper
- Jul 8From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on B. P. & E.D. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (July 8). Re-referred to Com. on B. P. & E.D.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Business, Professions and Economic Development]. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 30From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on G.O.Major
- Jun 24In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
- Jun 11Referred to Coms. on G.O. and B. P. & E.D.Minor
- Jun 3In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.Minor
- Vote recorded AB 478 Zbur Assembly Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Jun 2Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 78. Noes 0. Page 1927.)Passed Assembly
- May 28Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- May 27Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.Major
- May 27From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (May 23).Major
- May 27Assembly Rule 63 suspended. (Ayes 51. Noes 16. Page 1644.)
- May 23
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended. Result: pass.Lower
- May 14In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.Minor
- Apr 29From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (April 28). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Apr 28
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 22Re-referred to Com. on E.M.Minor
- Apr 21From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on E.M. Read second time and amended.Major
- Mar 25Re-referred to Com. on E.M.Minor
- Mar 24From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on E.M. Read second time and amended.Major
- Mar 24Referred to Com. on E.M.Minor
- Feb 11From printer. May be heard in committee March 13.
- Feb 10Read first time. To print.Introduced