The Votes Are In!
2024 Readers' Choice is back, bigger and better than ever!
View Winners → Research Animal Adoption Bill Signed Into Law
Arcadia Weekly Oct 21, 2015
by
share with
– Courtesy Photo
AB 147 requires that healthy research animals be offered for public adoption after testing ends.
AB 147, authored by Assemblymember Matt Dababneh (D – Encino), has been signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown after passing through the California State Legislature with bipartisan support. The bill requires that California research laboratories receiving taxpayer funding offer healthy dogs and cats, no longer needed for research purposes, to non-profit animal rescue organizations before euthanization.
Upon the Governor’s signing of AB 147, Assemblymember Dababneh stated, “California, a leader in animal welfare legislation, has passed a common-sense and compassionate law to ensure that research animals are given a second chance at life. No longer will it be acceptable to euthanize healthy and adoptable dogs and cats.”
While federal and state law offers an array of regulations concerning the research animal’s bedding, food, water access, enrichment devices, and pain management, no law covers what happens to the animal after the research ends. Unfortunately some research dogs and cats are euthanized at the end of the testing even if they are healthy and adoptable. AB 147 simply facilitates a relationship between laboratories that use dogs and cats for research purposes and registered non-profit animal rescue organizations so that when the animals are no longer needed they can be put up for public adoption. The bill allows research facilities to limit their liability through an agreement with the adopting non-profit organization.
Assemblymember Dababneh stated, “These research laboratories are funded by Californians, and those Californians who want to save one of these perfectly healthy dogs or cats at the conclusion of research should have that opportunity. AB 147 gives Californians the chance to make one of these animals, who have endured on behalf of medical and scientific progress, a part of their family.”
After learning of the bill’s passage, actress Nikki Reed, who testified in support in the Assembly Committee on Higher Education, said, “I was honored to be able to lend my voice and passion to AB147. This law will give countless animals the freedom they deserve after being tested on.”
Matt Dababneh represents the 45th Assembly District that includes the communities of Bell Canyon, Calabasas, Canoga Park, Chatsworth, Encino, Hidden Hills, Northridge, Reseda, Sherman Oaks, Tarzana, West Hills, Winnetka, and Woodland Hills. Please visit the Assemblymember’s website, www.assembly.ca.gov/a45, for more information.
