October 1, 2018 – SF SPCA Leads the Way to Protect Pets in Divorce Law –
Thanks to the San Francisco SPCA’s advocacy efforts, California’s pets with divorcing owners scored a huge legal win. In partnership with Assemblymember Bill Quirk, we worked to pass Assembly Bill 2274, which ensures that the care of a pet is taken into consideration both during and after legal separation proceedings. The new California law, which goes into effect January 2019, is groundbreaking because pets are now seen as more than just property, like a car or a sofa, under California law. Pets are part of our families, and it is important that courts be able to award custody based on what is best for the animal.