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AB 332, The Animal Shelter Data Collection Act, Needs Your Telephone Call Now!
This is 100% "insider baseball": Why did the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) stop collecting and reporting animal shelter data in 2017, and take down 21 years worth of past data?
The answer is because they were lobbied by California and out-of-state special interests to do so. This is first-hand information given to me at the time.
Here is the history and why we need your calls this week, prior to the hearing on Wednesday, June 14th at 1:30PM!
The rabies control data collected and reported by CDPH included details about how many dogs and cats were coming into shelters and what was happening to them (adopted, euthanized, transferred, reclaimed, etc.).
Even though the data was officially for rabies control, it helped state and local governments, the animal shelter and rescue community, and philanthropic organizations understand the scope of the pet overpopulation problem and how we could direct resources to where they were needed most. The data also supported policies such as AB 485, the Pet Rescue and Adoption Act of 2017 (O'Donnell), our landmark sponsored bill that banned the sale of mill-bred animals in retail stores. And that's where the puppy mill special interests enter the story.
Suddenly, beginning in 2017, CDPH stopped collecting most shelter-related data except a very narrow set of information on rabies vaccines. Even more egregious, it took down the historical reports, leaving those of us who are trying to address this problem in the dark with no data to work with.
Coincidentally, 2017 is the same year that the Trump administration pulled all the USDA's datasets regarding the Animal Welfare Act. Same players, same playbook.
So here we are in 2023...
Assembly Bill 332, the Animal Shelter Data Collection Act authored by Assemblymember Alex Lee (D-San Jose), and coauthored by Assemblywoman Marie Waldron (R-Valley Center), and sponsored by Social Compassion in Legislation is headed to the Senate Health Committee.
The bill requires that CDPH resume collection of animal shelter intake and outcome data, including adoption, redemption, euthanasia, and other categories as part of the Department's rabies control program, AS IT DID FOR 21 YEARS!
The bill made it through Assembly Committees and the full Assembly Floor with zero "no" votes. As a matter of fact, it got off the Assembly Floor with a unanimous bipartisan vote of 66-0. But now, it is in the first Senate Committee and CDPH is out to kill it.
THAT IS WHY THE COMMITTEE HAS TO HEAR FROM YOU!!!
Please call the numbers below and simply urge the Senate Health Committee Members to:
"Please vote YES on AB 332 to restore the full rabies control data as it was from 1995-2016!"
If you're short on time, please just call the
Chair and Vice Chair.
Thank you!
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