California law requires pet stores to only have shelter animals for adoption

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On Jan. 1, pet stores in California will be required by law to only sell dogs, cats and rabbits that come from shelters or nonprofit rescues.

The new mandate comes from the Pet Rescue and Adoption Act, which went into effect on New Year's day after being signed into law by California Gov. Jerry Brown in October 2017. According to KNBC, California is the first state to adopt such a law.

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CNN reported that the law requires each store "maintain records sufficient to document the source of each dog, cat, or rabbit the pet store sells or provides space for, for at least one year, and to post, in a conspicuous location on the cage or enclosure of each animal, a sign listing the name of the entity from which each dog, cat, or rabbit was obtained."

To ensure the requirement is being met, CNN reported that store operators will have to provide records origin of each animal. If the records can not be provided, the store will get a $500 fine per animal.

Prospective pet owners can still buy from private breeders, however. Pet stores are not able to do so.

Cox Media Group