Concerns have centered on suspicions that The Wagmor has been flouting AB 485, the SCIL-sponsored law passed in 2017 that bans sales of mill-bred dogs, cats and rabbits in pet stores.

California lawmakers are considering a bill that would help protect wildlife from cruel and deadly rodenticides. Urge your state senator to vote yes on AB 2552, the Poison-free Wildlife Act, authored by Assemblymember Laura Friedman.

AB 1983, the P.E.T.S. Act, authored by Assemblymember Brian Maeinschein (D-San Diego) and sponsored by Social Compassion in Legislation, passed the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee with a unanimous vote of 6-0.

AB 2640, The CLASS (Compassionate Advancements in Science Studies) Act, authored by Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-San Jose) and co-sponsored by Social Compassion in Legislation, PETA, and the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, passed the Senate Education Committee with a unanimous vote of 6-0.

Sacramento, Calif., May 23, 2024 – Today, AB 2640, The CLASS (Compassionate Advancements in Science Studies) Act, authored by Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-San Jose) and co-sponsored by Social Compassion in Legislation, PETA, and the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, passed the full Assembly with a vote of 53-to-0.

Call Now for Cedar and All the Children Who Do Not Want Their Animal Slaughtered!

1️⃣ AB 2133 passed the Assembly Business and Professions Committee with a final vote of 13-3!
2️⃣ AB 3162 passed the Assembly Committee on Water, Parks, and Wildlife with a vote of 13-1!
3️⃣ AB 1983 passed the full Assembly with a vote of 70-0!

AB 2640, The Class (Compassionate Advancements in Science Studies) Act, authored by Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-San Jose) and sponsored by Social Compassion in Legislation, PETA and the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, passed the Assembly Education Committee with a unanimous vote of 6-to-0.

AB 2012 Unanimously Passes Assembly Business & Professions Committee! Now we need your help with 4 upcoming bills.

If you want to support the bills SCIL is sponsoring in 2024, you must sign up to do so, even if you signed on to support all our bills in 2023. Time is of the essence as five of our bills will be voted on in their first committee hearings between April 2nd and April 10th.

ACR 86 passed its final hurdle today on the Senate floor, setting the stage for more action to save animals’ lives.
➡️ We are sponsoring or supporting important bills this year, including six that are a direct response to ACR 86. What we need most from you right now is a donation of any size to help cover the costs associated with moving these bills forward.

AB 2425 will expand the definition of dog breeder and ensure that all dogs sold by breeders are microchipped and vaccinated, include provisions requiring that shelters post the adoption availability of animals on their website or a third-party website, and order the California DFA to conduct a study on overcrowding in California shelters and potential remedies.

Dissecting animals is costly, exposes students and educators to carcinogenic chemicals, and hurts the environment. Each year in the U.S., an estimated 10 million animals are killed for dissection.

Reminder to Sign Up to Support All of SCIL’s Sponsored Legislation! Your support in the form of letters, calls, and social media engagement will be key to passing laws that save animal lives.

I am excited to announce that I am running for Laguna Beach City Council. I’ll still be here at SCIL, working day and night to build the broadest possible coalitions to pass laws that protect the planet and all the creatures we share it with.

AB 1983, Preventing Euthanasia to Save (P.E.T.S.) Act reinstates the tax check-off program to fund spaying and neutering. It was just assigned its first committee hearing for March 4th and needs your letters of support ASAP by 3PM Monday, February 26th!

by: Will Conybeare | California State Assemblymember Steve Bennett (D-38) has introduced AB 3162 – known as the California Oppose Cruelty to Octopuses (OCTO) Act – to prohibit octopus farming on land and water as well as ban the import of farmed octopus to California.

Bill will ensure that octopus farms, and the risks inherent to them, are not allowed in California.

AB 3053 INTRODUCED! New legislation will ensure uniform rules to allow families participating in junior agricultural programs to opt out of slaughter-only auctions.

Below is a letter that ran recently in local papers about a harmful “Utility Tax” that snuck through the legislature last year and that a group of lawmakers is now working to repeal. It’s something we should all care about, as climate-conscious individuals, and as utility ratepayers.

Assemblymember Ash Kalra and Social Compassion in Legislation introduce AB 2133. New legislation will help address pet overpopulation by expanding access to cat neuter services.

Hi Judie, so happy you were able to devote some time to sharing your thoughts and wisdom with our community. So, we’ve always admired how you have seemingly never let nay-sayers or haters keep you down. Can you talk to us about how to persist despite the negative energy that so often is thrown at folks trying to do something special with their lives?

A previous version of this bill was introduced in 2023 but was held in the Senate Appropriations Committee. It is being reintroduced with amendments that address the concerns expressed by the legislature. The goal is to optimize resource allocation and reduce pet overpopulation.

The bill will reinstate a voluntary tax check-off program that ran successfully for eight years and expired at the end of 2023. The program allows Californians to direct a portion of their state tax refund to a program that offers grants for low- and no-cost spay and neuter services.

1️⃣ SCIL planned to present proposed legislation that would allow Registered Veterinary Technicians to perform male cat neuters under the direct supervision of a California veterinarian to the Veterinary Medical Board. The next meeting will now take place in April. We will be moving the legislation forward in the meantime and will let you know how to support us once the bill is introduced.
2️⃣ GOOD NEWS! OC Animal Care has listened to the concerns of the community, and permanently expanded its business hours while adding three hours of “walk-through time” a day. Click on the picture to read the OC Register article.

1️⃣ CALL TO ACTION! Support Proposal to Allow Registered Veterinary Technicians to Perform Cat Neuters.
2️⃣ SCIL’s Letter to the Editor Featured Prominently in the Los Angeles Times

Please support the City of Laguna Beach’s new fire protocol that excludes Roundup (glyphosate) and other herbicides!

Our Last Update for 2023! As we close out 2023 and look ahead to 2024, we want to thank all of you for your support and political engagement. We could not do what we do without you!

OPINION:
Judie Mancuso: California must stop the pet animal overpopulation crisis

VICTORY! The California Fish & Game Commission Unanimously Votes to Approve Implementmentation of Strategies to Address Bullfrog and Non-native Turtles Issues, Including Ban on Imports and Sales!

🐕 Overcrowding at Palmdale & Lancaster Animal Shelters: A Welcome Step That Fails to Address Underlying Issues
🐂 Los Angeles City Council Approves Drafting of Rodeo Ordinance
🛢️ Investigation Details of Orange County Oil Spill Show Amplify Negligence Made Crisis Worse

TWO CALLS TO ACTION!
1️⃣ Support Los Angeles Ordinance to Ban Rodeos
2️⃣ Support CDFW’s Proposed Prohibition on Import Permits of Invasive Species!

Wondering where to direct your end-of-year donations? Please consider giving to our 501(c)(4), Social Compassion in Legislation (SCIL), to support our political advocacy work, and/or making a tax-deductible donation to our 501(c)(3), Social Compassion, to help us continue our animal rescue work, humane education and much more.

The Laguna Beach Animal Shelter will be waiving all adoption fees for any active duty, honorably discharged or retired military veterans in Orange County who apply and qualify to adopt a pet. This will be a permanent program so fee-free adoptions will continue beyond Veterans Day, but every day is a great day to adopt a pet! Please help us spread the word.

We are thrilled to announce that the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) will be granting out up to $350,000 in funding for the 2024 Pet Lover’s License Plate Grant Program (Pet Lover’s), which will mean after this round over $1.85M dollars will have been granted out for spay and neuter surgeries!

JOIN US FOR THE WEBINAR TO DISCUSS: “Backyard Breeding, Animal Overpopulation, and Policies & Actions That Can Make A Difference!” on November 8th!

Over the last few years, SCIL has received complaints from concerned supporters about the business practices of The Wagmor, a for-profit entity, and Wagmor Pets, a nonprofit entity. Concerns raised to us have centered on suspicions that the Wagmor has been flouting California law, AB 485, which SCIL sponsored in 2017, which bans the sale of dogs, cats, or rabbits from pet stores.

SCIL is excited to support the effort led by the New South Wales (NSW) Member of Parliament, Emma Hurst, to save Australian kangaroos. We met with the Honorable Emma Hurst and her team on their recent visit to the United States to advocate for US support in shutting down its market for kangaroo products.

The Laguna Beach Environmental Sustainability Committee (ESC) hearing held on September 18th heard a proposal for five actions, copied below. The proposal was submitted for a vote by the Wildlife Subcommittee, which is led by our founder and president, Judie Mancuso.
We are happy to report that the ESC voted unanimously to move these recommendations to the full City Council for consideration.

Celebrating Ten Years of the Pet Lover’s License Plate! We Need Creative Marketing Ideas to Sell Many More Plates!

Assembly Bill 829, the Animal Cruelty & Violence Intervention Act will expand currently required counseling for violations of Penal Code 597 to additional sections pertaining to animal abuse, such as those involving malicious violence, willful poisoning, or bestiality.

AB 829 is officially on the Governor’s desk! Governor Newsom has until October 14th to sign AB 829 into law or veto.
We are hopeful Governor Newsom will sign the bill into law since this policy will save animals from horrific abuse and prevent future violence against humans. But the Governor MUST hear from all of us. He needs to know there is support for this legislation. He needs to hear from you!

ACR 86 calls for the State to immediately fund spay and neuter and other medical services along with a public relations campaign urging Californians to adopt shelter animals, to stop unwanted litters, and for out-of-state veterinarians and registered veterinary technicians to apply for California licensure.

This evening, Assembly Bill 829, the Animal Cruelty & Violence Intervention Act, authored by Assemblywoman Marie Waldron (R-Valley Center) and sponsored by Social Compassion in Legislation, passed the full Senate with a vote of 40-0. The bill also passed a procedural concurrence vote in the Assembly. The bill will be sent to the Governor, where he will have 30 days to sign the bill into law or veto it.

Our bills are at the final stage of the legislative process and need your help immediately!

Both AB 829 (Waldron), the Animal Cruelty & Violence Intervention Act, and ACR 86 (Kalra), the Pet Crisis Response Act, are eligible for a Senate vote. The end of the session is tomorrow. If they are not voted on by the end of session, then they are dead.

📞 Please call the two Senators listed ASAP!

Both AB 829 (Waldron), the Animal Cruelty & Violence Intervention Act, and ACR 86 (Kalra), the Pet Crisis Response Act, will be voted on by the full Senate next week!
📞 Please Call YOUR Senator ASAP and Ask Them To “Vote YES on AB 829 and ACR 86!”

✅ AB 829 & ACR 86 Both Successfully Pass Senate Appropriations Committee and Now Need Your Help!
❌ AB 332 Killed by Department of Public Health!

Monday, August 28, 2023 at 10:00 AM | Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-San Jose) will hold a press conference with American icon Priscilla Presley, Social Compassion in Legislation’s Founder and President, Judie Mancuso, and Sacramento SPCA CEO, Kenn Altine, and co-authors to advocate for ACR 86, the Pet Overpopulation Crisis Response Act, prior to the bill’s hearing at noon.

1️⃣ ACR 86, the Pet Overpopulation Crisis Response Act, Needs Your Call No Later Than This Friday, 5PM!
2️⃣ BREAKING NEWS! Wag Hotels, a Popular Pet Boarding Chain, is Neglecting Dogs According to SFChronicle and Firsthand Account from SCIL Supporter!

A big thank you to Priscilla and her team for attending and allowing us to honor her for a lifetime of animal advocacy. Priscilla was ever so gracious with all of our guests. We are truly grateful for her support and unwavering love for animals.

If you haven’t yet purchased your ticket for this Saturday’s Animal Rights Event of the Year with Priscilla Presley, please don’t wait another day. Come spend the evening in a gorgeous setting with amazing animal lovers, delicious vegan food, and a silent auction you won’t want to miss – including a surprise item from the private collection of The King himself, personalized by Priscilla.

Want to support SCIL? Right now, the best way to support our groundbreaking work is to attend our July 15th event, and bring your animal-loving friends. Please buy your ticket today to the Animal Rights Event of the Year with Priscilla Presley!

Today, ACR 86, the Pet Crisis Response Act, authored by Assemblymember Ash Kalra and coauthored by a bipartisan group of twelve legislators, passed the Assembly Floor with a vote of 66-0. The resolution details the underlying issues that have contributed to too many dogs, cats, rabbits and other species being born in or brought into California without enough Californians willing to give them forever homes and urges action on the pet overpopulation crisis in California.

1.) ACR 86 Clears Assembly Appropriations Committee! Please Call Your Assemblymember for Floor Vote!
2.) Protect Prop 12 & other Animal Protection Laws across the country!

Yesterday, we had our hearing and the audit was approved by a vote of 11-2. We thank Assemblymember Kalra for his unwavering commitment to this issue, and to all the Committee members who voted to approve the audit.

AB 332, The Animal Shelter Data Collection Act, needs your telephone call now! Also, save the date of July 15th – it’s our Animal Rights Event of the Year!

Watch ACR 86 Successful Hearing; Don’t Forget, SCIL Event On July 15Th!

We are so excited to invite you to our first fundraiser since early 2020! We will be hosted by the ever-generous Michelson family in Brentwood, and we will be honoring the one and only Priscilla Presley for her lifetime of animal advocacy.

AB 332, The Animal Shelter Data Collection Act, Passes Senate Health Committee with a Unanimous Vote! Help us support two more bills being voted on in their respective committees this Tuesday, June 20th.

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?

We have hearings coming up for all of our bills. We need your support for the final push through the second house, for both AB 332 and AB 829, and our new ACR 86 will have its first hearing in the Assembly.

Assembly Bill 829, the Animal Cruelty & Violence Intervention Act, authored by Assemblywoman Marie Waldron (R-Valley Center) and sponsored by Social Compassion in Legislation, passed the full Assembly with a preliminary vote of 72-0.

Today, Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D-Los Angeles County) introduced the Keeping Pets and Families Together Act, legislation to establish a program within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to encourage the microchipping of dogs and cats in the care of shelters.

Assemblymember Ash Kalra, Social Compassion in Legislation, and a large coalition including Priscilla Presley and Katherine Heigl join forces to introduce a resolution urging action on the State’s pet overpopulation crisis.

As many of you might know, I have been the Vice Chair of the Laguna Beach Environmental Sustainability Committee for the past four years. Our committee passed some policy recommendations to the Laguna Beach City Council (LBCC) this week with unanimous votes. I wanted to share our progress with you, and will ask for your support once these items come to the LBCC for a vote.

Please call Assembly Appropriations Chair Chris Holden! AB 829, the Animal Cruelty & Violence Intervention Act is now on the Assembly Appropriations Suspense file.

AB 332 Needs Your Call to Your Assemblymember! Please make a call no later than Tuesday, May 9 at 5pm and simply urge them to vote “YES” on AB 332!

The bill, sponsored by Social Compassion in Legislation, will expand currently required counseling for violations of Penal Code 597 to additional sections pertaining to animal abuse, such as those involving malicious violence, willful poisoning, or bestiality.

Tuesday, April 11, 2023 – Today, AB 332, the Shelter Animal Data Collection Act, authored by Assembly Member Alex Lee (D-San Jose) and sponsored by Social Compassion in Legislation (SCIL), passed the Assembly Business and Professions Committee with a unanimous vote.

Here we are again at the start of another 2-year legislative session and we need your support! This year we are sponsoring three bills and will be actively lobbying in support (or opposing, if necessary) several more.

February 15th, Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-San Jose), along with several others, will be discussing the importance of tropical forests and the policies governments and corporations can take to protect them on an Environment America webinar at 2PM tomorrow.

Last week, the Laguna Beach City Council voted unanimously to introduce an ordinance prohibiting the sale, public use and distribution of all balloons.

Assembly Bill 332, the Animal Shelter Data Collection Act was introduced by Assemblymember Alex Lee (D-San José), and coauthored by Assemblywoman Marie Waldron (R-Valley Center), and sponsored by Social Compassion in Legislation.

Victory! The FDA Modernization Act was signed into law! But there’s a caveat…

TODAY, CA Fish and Game Commission Wildlife Resources Committee is meeting. There are two agenda items pertaining to black bear hunting in the state that need your voice.

Help us get the word out for Kern County’s in-house Shelter Veterinarian open position. Also, they need help with more spay and neuter services in the community. We cannot help them enough with their spaying and neutering needs.

Next Wednesday and Thursday, January 11-12th, the CA Fish and Game Commission Wildlife Resources Committee is meeting. There are two agenda items pertaining to black bear hunting in the state that need your voice.

Wondering where to direct your end-of-year donations? Please consider giving to our 501(c)(4), Social Compassion in Legislation (SCIL), to support our political advocacy work, and/or making a tax-deductible donation to our 501(c)(3), Social Compassion, to help us continue our animal rescue work, humane education and much more. 

This Thursday at 11:00 am PST, please call-in to the Los Angeles Recreation and Parks meeting that is specifically designated for discussion on the Griffith Park Pony Rides.

Please thank Commissioners Jimmy Kim, Matthew Rudnick and the Commissioners for not renewing the Griffith Park and Pony Ride contract, and ensure that the park is changed to a non-animal model that is fun and safe for kids.

We are honored to announce that tomorrow, December 10th, Social Compassion, our 501(c)3, is the organizing nonprofit for the International Human Rights Day Rally in Laguna Beach! We know where human rights violations occur, animals also suffer greatly. Over the last year, we have witnessed scenes from Ukraine where huge numbers of wildlife and companion animals have perished due to the devastating effects of war. Where governments oppress their citizens, when those citizens must fight for their own basic rights, those same citizens are not able to stand up and fight for the protection of animals and the environment, everyone suffers.

Abusive pony rides in Griffith Park finally ending! Big cat public safety act passes both houses; now on its way to President Biden for his signature! & L.A. Ordinance to curb rodeos passes committee vote; heads to full city council in January!

For Giving Tuesday, Donate to Prevent Cruelty and Give Animals a Better Life! Wondering where to direct your end-of-year donations? Please consider us!

More Spay & Neuter funds are available! Also, we need your help!

Jane knows firsthand that I will always fight to protect our environment, which is why she has endorsed my candidacy and invited me to participate in the Grace and Frankie Live Reunion fundraiser this Friday, October 28th at 5 PM!

Just in case you missed it, we have video of the Assembly District #72 Candidate Forum that was held in Newport Beach on September 22nd! Please watch Judie Mancuso talk about the issues!

Because of YOUR voice and the advocacy efforts of Social Compassion in Legislation and our coalition, California’s groundbreaking 2018 law – and similar laws on the books in eight other states – are saved!

The bill becomes Social Compassion in Legislation’s 22nd sponsored bill signed into law.

Please join me this Thursday, September 22, from 8:30-10 AM at the Newport Beach Public Library for a candidate forum sponsored by the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce!

There are two agenda items pertaining to black bear hunting in the state that need your voice & AB 1648 the Animal Evacuation Act is still on the Governor’s desk!

AB 1648 the Animal Evacuation Act is officially on the Governor’s desk! Governor Newsom has until September 30th to sign AB 1648 into law or veto. // & You are invited to a virtual fundraiser!

AB 1648 the Animal Evacuation Act is officially on the Governor’s desk! Governor Newsom has until September 30th to sign AB 1648 into law or veto.

We are frustrated to announce that AB 1881, the Dog and Cat Bill of Rights has failed to pass the Senate. We are particularly dismayed to convey that CalAnimals, the association representing animal control agencies and animal shelters in the state, played the leading role in killing the bill.

Call to Action for AB 1811! Plus, AB 1648, a bill that will require an evacuation plan as a condition of all kennel permits, passed the full Senate!

AB 1648, a bill that will require an evacuation plan as a condition of all kennel permits, passed the full Senate with an initial vote of 32 to 0.

AB 1881, the Dog and Cat Bill of Rights is up for a vote by the full Senate as soon as Monday. Please make a call to your Senator urging them to vote “YES” on AB 1881!

AB 1648 Passes Out of Senate Appropriations Committee with a 6-0 Vote! We are thrilled that Senator Portantino and Senate leadership supported AB 1648, authored by Assemblymember Brian Maienschein (D – San Diego), and moved the bill to the Senate floor.

Dear friends: As you may know by now, I am running for Assembly District 72. If you would like to support my candidacy, I have three fundraising events coming up that I would love for you to attend! Please see the event flyers below and please share.

If the public is denied access to visit the animals to make a connection and bond, then the results are obvious: adoptions plummet and euthanasia skyrockets. It’s commonsense.