Local Assemblymember’s Bill Would Prevent Lost Pets From Being Claimed by Thieves

Assembly Bill 2723, a bill offered by Assemblymember Chris Holden (D-Pasadena) that includes new requirements to legally reclaim a lost pet that has been found, passed the Assembly Business and Professions Committee.

“Many of us have opened our homes and welcomed animals into our families,” Holden said. “It’s a tragedy when your family member/pet goes missing, and this bill would prevent bad actors of reclaiming pets as families are still searching for them.”

Existing law fails to ensure that pets are returned to their rightful owners. Currently, when pets are microchipped by organizations before adoption, these organizations remain as the primary contact registered to the microchips, even after adoption and even once owners are registered to the same microchips (as secondary contacts). There exists no provision or law which requires these organizations to relinquish primary contact status to owners for microchips placed in pets.

“We need pet ownership to be clear. Our financial and emotional investment in our pets goes far beyond the fee we pay at the point of adoption. The investment over time makes them bona fide members of our family and we need them to be protected and safe,” said Chiara Tellini, impacted resident testified in Committee.

AB 2723 would expand upon, and clarify pet microchip ownership with the intent to alleviate legal confusion and ambiguity for pet owners, especially owners undergoing improper pet reclamation, pet theft, or pet loss. Specifically, AB 2723 would prioritize the contacting of owners in instances of pet recovery by encouraging that the pet owner be listed as the microchip primary contact, instead of pet adoption organizations.

AB 2723 would allow rightful pet owners to welcome their pets back home. This bill is double referred and will be heading to the Assembly Committee on Public Safety.