Assemblywoman Soria Introduces Bill to Address Pet Overpopulation Crisis in California, AB 2010

• Brody Fernandez
• (916) 276-3390
• [email protected]

SACRAMENTO, CA - Today, Assemblywoman Esmeralda Soria (D-Merced) introduced AB 2010, which will expand access to high-quality, high-volume spay and neuter services for California pet owners and shelters. It will also allow the use of Mobile Animal Sterilization Hospital (MASH) clinics. February is National Spay and Neuter Awareness Month, a campaign dedicated to reducing pet overpopulation, and shelter overcrowding by encouraging the sterilization of cats and dogs before spring.

For years, rising costs and a veterinary workforce shortage has left California veterinarians unable to perform enough spay and neuter surgeries, leading to a growing pet overpopulation crisis. While veterinarians have developed more advanced techniques for these surgeries, current California law limits the use of those procedures.

"California's pet overpopulation crisis is out of control," Soria said. "The crisis is even worse in rural regions throughout the Central Valley, where access to spay and neuter services may be hours away, and unaffordable for many communities. For too long, veterinary clinics have been inundated with high demand for spay and neuter services. AB 2010 provides a solution that will address this crisis."

To quickly and efficiently alleviate the overcrowded animal shelters, address the large numbers of pets on the streets, and help Californians who cannot access affordable spay-neuter services, AB 2010 will remove unnecessary barriers, while adopting more efficient spay and neuter practices. AB 2010 will do this by specifying that veterinary premises that primarily perform high-quality, high-volume services do not require a dedicated surgical suite for those services, while still maintaining the applicability of all other health and safety standards.

"Lack of access to affordable veterinary care is one of the top reasons pet owners are forced to make the heartbreaking decision to surrender their beloved pets," said Brittany Benesi, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) Senior Director of State Legislation (Western Division). "We are grateful to Assemblywoman Soria for introducing (AB 2010) during Spay Neuter Awareness Month to remove regulatory barriers and make high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter services more accessible to the pets who need it most."

AB 2010 will also allow the use of Mobile Animal Sterilization Hospital (MASH) clinics, which can bring traveling high-quality, high-volume spay and neuter operations that can set up in community buildings to underserved and rural areas.

"MASH clinics will significantly increase the number of sterilization surgeries that can be done in every part of the state, allowing for more animals to be adopted from shelters, reducing euthanasia and preventing unwanted births," said San Francisco SPCA CEO, Dr. Jennifer Scarlett."With California experiencing an access-to-veterinary-care crisis, we have to think innovatively about how we can most effectively and efficiently reduce the overpopulation problem. AB 2010 does exactly that, and we want to thank Assemblywoman Soria for championing this legislation."

Every year, tens of thousands of healthy cats and dogs are euthanized primarily because there are simply too many for the state's shelters to hold.

"California is facing a growing animal welfare crisis, and we need solutions grounded in science," said Dr. Gary Weitzman, President and CEO, San Diego Humane Society."Mobile, high-quality, high-volume spay and neuter clinics have a proven track record of safely serving far more animals than traditional models, especially in communities that lack access to care. Allowing MASH units to operate will prevent thousands of animals from entering shelters, reduce strain on families and animal services, and save lives. Assemblywoman Soria's AB 2010 is smart, humane policy, and it meets the scale of the challenge before us."

Facebook: @Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria

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Assemblywoman Esmeralda Soria represents the 27th Assembly District, which includes communities in Fresno, Madera, and Merced counties.