Animal rights advocates are cheering the signing this week of several measures by Gov. Gavin Newsom that his office says will advance animal welfare in the state.

Senate Bill 879, also known as the PET Act (Prohibiting Extraneous Testing) was put forth by Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) and aims to end “unnecessary” toxicological testing on dogs and cats.

SB 879 prohibits toxicity testing on dogs and cats for pesticides, chemical substances and other products, which proponents say does not always advance scientific research on toxicity in humans. Testing for products intended for use in dogs or cats are excluded from the new law, including medical treatment testing.

“Animal testing that has no scientific value and causes terrible pain and suffering is inhumane, unnecessary and cruel,” said Wiener in a statement released by his office.

The bill was praised by Kitty Block, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the U.S.

Newsom also signed Assembly Bill 1648, which requires kennel owners to create a natural disaster evacuation plan in order to get a permit to operate.

It’s now also officially “theft” to steal or take someone’s companion animal after Assembly Bill 1290 was signed by Newsom, as well.

Finally, Newsom signed Senate Bill 774 which facilitates emotional support dog certification processes for unhoused people and Assembly Bill 2723 which expands microchip registration requirements for dogs and cats in an effort to better aid in the return of lost pets and deter theft.

Katy St. Clair got her start in journalism by working in the classifieds department at the East Bay Express during the height of alt weeklies, then sweet talked her way into becoming staff writer, submissions editor, and music editor. She has been a columnist in the East Bay Express, SF Weekly, and the San Francisco Examiner. Starting in 2015, she begrudgingly scaled the inverted pyramid at dailies such as the Vallejo Times-Herald, The Vacaville Reporter, and the Daily Republic. She has her own independent news site and blog that covers the delightfully dysfunctional town of Vallejo, California, where she also collaborates with the investigative team at Open Vallejo. A passionate advocate for people with developmental disabilities, she serves on both the Board of the Arc of Solano and the Arc of California. She lives in Vallejo.