On March 3, the San Francisco SPCA united with animal advocates, lawmakers, and animal welfare leaders from across California for our fourth annual Animal Advocacy Day at the State Capitol. 90 animal advocates traveled from across the state to speak about the challenges facing animals, pet guardians, and shelters in California today. We held meetings with legislators and their staff to ensure that animal welfare remains a priority in state policy.
The day began with a morning program featuring remarks from SF SPCA Board Chair Curt Kirschner, Senator Scott Wiener, and Assemblymember Chris Rogers, who spoke about the importance of thoughtful legislation to protect animals and give them a voice in our laws. Advocates then spent the afternoon meeting with lawmakers to discuss some of the most pressing issues in animal welfare today, including access to veterinary care, the importance of accessible spay/neuter services, shelter overcrowding, and animal cruelty prevention.
Organizations participating in the day included the San Diego Humane Society, Valley Humane Society, ASPCA, Best Friends Animal Society, and Humane World for Animals, alongside the SF SPCA and dozens of dedicated supporters.
Our legislative focusÂ
Here’s a look at the legislation we’re championing in 2026.
AB 2010: Spay/Neuter Improvement for Pets (SNIP)Â ActÂ
AB 2010, introduced by Assemblymember Soria with Senator Wiener as a coauthor, addresses one of the biggest drivers of shelter overcrowding: limited access to affordable spay/neuter services.
California is currently facing a severe veterinary workforce shortage, leaving many communities struggling to find timely, affordable sterilization services for pets. When pets cannot be spayed or neutered, unplanned litters increase and adoptions are delayed, putting additional pressure on already crowded shelters.
AB 2010 would remove a regulatory barrier that currently requires a separate surgical suite for spay and neuter surgeries, a rule that slows down high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter programs. By allowing clinics focused on these services to operate more efficiently while maintaining safety standards, the bill would increase surgical capacity and expand access to care, particularly in under-resourced and rural communities.
HQHVSN Budget ChampionÂ
In addition to AB 2010, advocates also urged legislators to support new state funding for high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter (HQHVSN) training programs.
The proposal seeks $5 million in the 2026-27 state budget to launch specialized training programs at two veterinary schools: the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and the Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine. These programs would train veterinary students and licensed professionals in efficient, high-volume techniques that allow veterinarians to safely perform more surgeries. Expanding this expertise across the state would help increase spay/neuter capacity and provide long-term public health and animal welfare benefits.
AB 928: The Cockfighting Cruelty ActÂ
AB 928, introduced by Assemblymember Rogers, strengthens California’s fight against illegal cockfighting, an activity that causes extreme suffering for animals.
Cockfighting is already illegal, but enforcement can be difficult. The bill gives law enforcement and animal control agencies additional tools to proactively combat illegal cockfighting before it escalates into large-scale criminal activity. Under AB 928, properties that keep more than 25 roosters tethered or isolated in ways consistent with fighting operations could face fines of $2,500 per bird. The bill includes exemptions for legitimate poultry operations, hobbyists, and educational programs. By targeting the infrastructure that enables cockfighting, the bill aims to prevent cruelty before it occurs and protect both animals and communities.
SB 1135: Statewide Wildlife Coexistence ProgramÂ
SB 1135, introduced by Senator Blakespear, focuses on helping people and wildlife safely share California’s landscapes. As wildlife populations grow and development expands, encounters between people and wildlife are becoming more common. These situations can create challenges for communities, farmers, and wildlife alike.
SB 1135 would establish a Statewide Wildlife Coexistence Program within the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). SB 1135 will require CDFW to rely on practices backed by scientific and indigenous knowledge to pursue nonlethal conflict prevention, incident tracking, public education, tribal consultation, and partnerships with local governments, ranchers, and community organizations. The bill also includes funding proposals to support staff, equipment, and programs that help livestock producers coexist with wolves while protecting both livelihoods and wildlife.
AB 1733: Veterinary Continuing Education ModernizationÂ
AB 1733, introduced by Assemblymember Lee, encourages veterinarians and registered veterinary technicians to donate their skills to help shelter animals in need.
Veterinary professionals must complete continuing education to maintain their licenses. Currently, when professionals volunteer their time performing free spay/neuter surgeries for shelters or rescue groups, their hours are grouped into a general self-study category. AB 1733 would create a dedicated continuing education category recognizing up to four hours of pro bono spay/neuter work each year. By incentivizing veterinarians to do this work, the bill aims to encourage more veterinary professionals to share their expertise with shelters and rescue organizations that depend on these lifesaving services.
Help us advocate for animalsÂ
Animal Advocacy Day shows what’s possible when passionate people come together to speak up for animals. From expanding access to veterinary care to strengthening protections against cruelty, the policies discussed at this year’s event could have a meaningful impact on animals, wildlife, and communities across California.
We’re grateful to every advocate, partner organization, and lawmaker who made this year’s event a success. We invite you to learn more about the SF SPCA’s advocacy work, and if you’re interested in getting involved, we hope you’ll join us next year for Animal Advocacy Day 2027.Â