Bill makes property owners responsible for pet welfare
By Sandi Cain, Best Friends Network VolunteerCalifornia legislation designed to make the owners (banks) of foreclosed properties responsible for arranging care for abandoned animals was signed into law on August 4 by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Assembly Bill 2949 was introduced by Assemblyman Mark DeSaulnier (D-11th District) and may serve as a model for other states to resolve the issue of pets left behind by people forced to move by foreclosure.
The California Animal Association and the ASPCA co-sponsored efforts to pass the legislation. The California Animal Association is a coalition of 15 animal protection groups representing the interests of animals at the state Capitol.
The issue was brought to the attention of Assemblyman DeSaulnier when constituent Sheri Kuticka of Concord entered the Assemblyman’s “There Oughta Be a Law” contest, describing the effects of foreclosures on animals.
In the past, banks and other lenders instructed agents to leave all property, including animals, alone until a foreclosure was complete to avoid the perception of property theft, according to a DeSaulnier spokesperson, as reported in the
Contra Costa Times on August 6.
Solutions for Families in DistressA spokesman for the California Mortgage Bankers Association told the Contra Costa Times that the legislation was “a part of the solution” for pets left behind when people lose their homes.
Another solution is public education that would provide alternative resources for pets when families face foreclosure to discourage them from abandoning their pets.
The California Animal Association named DeSaulnier its “
Legislator of the Year” as a result of his efforts.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
1. If you would like to thank the Assemblyman, contact Mark DeSaulnier’s district office at 925-372-7990 or his Sacramento office at 916-319-2011. Constituents may also link to his email
here.
2. To contact the Governor’s office to demonstrate your support of this effort, go to
http://gov.ca.gov.
For more information:
• More about the plight of animals in crisis, due to home foreclosures, can be found in
Left Behind• For help if you are facing foreclosure and have pets visit the
HOPE NOW website or call 888-995-HOPE.
• This is not the only innovative effort on behalf of animals in California. Join others in the Los Angeles area by becoming a member of the
Puppy Store Free LA campaign.
Photo of Assemblyman DeSaulnier courtesy of his state office