SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Animal rights supporters and Assemblymember Kevin McCarty stood at the steps of the Capitol Wednesday to rally for a bill aiming to reduce the number of adoptable pets facing euthanasia.
The 'Animal Shelter Transparency Act' would require public animal shelters to give community notices before they put down an animal not irremediably suffering from serious illness or injury.
It would also require shelters to prioritize spay and neuter resources and give notice before adopting policies or protocols conflicting with state laws designed to protect animals.
"California's been saying that we're a 'no-kill' state for a couple decades, but we haven't always been living up to those practices at our animal shelters — [this bill] will do just that," said McCarty, the bill's author.
Fix Our Shelters is a coalition of animal rights activists who supported McCarty in crafting the bill. Many stood with him on the Capitol steps. They held up signs with images of dogs they say died from euthanasia.
"When people know that animals' lives are at risk, lives can be saved," said Fix Our Shelters member Julie Virga.
McCarty says community members of all different background and walks of life came together as a coalition, all with a passion for saving animals.
"They're coming up with a suggestion on how to fix state law to help save animals and make sure people adopt these animals before they're put down," he said. "It's a common sense idea."
