California AB 1382 - Preventing the Sale Gene-Edited Pets
Calling all Californians! The fight is not over yet! Rabbits and other companion animals need your help in passing the Ethics of Aesthetics AB 1382. Although AB 1382 was doing very well in the legislature, the bill was recently sent to the "suspense" file in the Senate Appropriations Committee. This is where bills get killed by party leadership unless they hear from the community such as owners, veterinarians and shelter professionals alike. Make your voice heard for the voiceless.
Background On AB 1382
Back in the spring, we shared an important alert about a troubling trend in pet breeding, from the Wired article "Your Next Pet Could Be a Glowing Rabbit". It’s not science fiction; gene-editing technology is being used to create glow-in-the-dark rabbits and hypoallergenic cats and dogs.
This isn’t innovation—it’s exploitation. Animals are not novelties or aesthetic trends. They deserve respect, not genetic manipulation for human amusement.
As a result, Assembly Member Castillo put forward AB 1382, the Ethics Over Aesthetics Act, sponsored by Social Compassion in Legislation. The bill will prohibit the sale of animals that have been genetically engineered for cosmetic purposes.
If you took action in the spring, thank you. If you haven’t yet, we’re urging you to speak up now. Visit socialcompassioninlegislation.org/how-to-help, choose AB 1382, and fill out your information to have a support letter sent to your representative on your behalf by Social Compassion in Legislation. Let’s stand together and say NO to designer animals.
To support this bill and help it move to the Senate floor, here are actions we are asking you to take:
Call Senator Cervantes and Senator Limón
Call Senator Cervantes and Senator Limón at their Sacramento offices to leave a message voicing your support for positive action to me taken on this bill. Senator Limón represents Senate District 21, which includes Santa Barbara County and portions of Ventura County and San Luis Obispo County. Senator Cervantes represents Senate District 31, which includes Riverside County and San Bernadino County. You do not need to be a resident of their districts to voice your support!
📞 Senator Limón: (916) 651-4021
📞 Senator Cervantes: (916) 651-4031
Need a call script? Use the one below. Remember to keep the message short, sweet, and positive!
"I am calling about AB 1382. An industry for gene-edited pets, such as glow-in-the-dark rabbits, would exacerbate the current overpopulation crisis that animal shelters and rescues face. Without AB 1382, rescues
will become even more overburdened with animals, and healthy and adoptable rabbits will face euthanasia. This bill is a good bill that does not fiscally impact the state. I urge you to let AB 1382 off of the suspense file for a vote on the Senate floor. Animals are counting on you."
Write to Senator Cervantes and Senator Limón
Write Senator Cervantes and Senator Limón at their Sacramento offices. This can be a digital letter, physical letter, or both!
Senator Limón
1021 O Street, Suite 8518
Sacramento, CA 95814
Senator Cervantes
1021 O St., Suite #7330
Sacramento, CA 95814
Want to keep it easy with a template? Use ours as a starting point and make it customize it from there!
Dear [Senator Last Name],
My name is [Your Name], and I am a constituent in [Your City]. I’m writing to voice my support for AB 1382. Moving this bill off the suspense file, putting it up for a vote, and passing it into law is crucial to taking action to prevent the proliferation of designer pets at the expense of shelter animals, as well as prevent our state’s already burdened animal shelters from taking on more unwanted animals.
For many families, rabbits are beloved companions; they are the third most popular companion animal in the U.S., right behind dogs and cats. Rabbits in particular are at the greatest risk if this bill does not pass. Rabbits already have longer (and more costly) lengths of stays within the shelter system and have a slower adoption rate compared to cats and dogs (for every 1 rabbit adopted, a shelter adopts out approximately 9 cats and 10 dogs). If the bill does not pass, these numbers will compound, resulting in higher rabbit intake rates with slower rabbit adoption outcomes, costing the shelters, rescues, and ultimately taxpayers more.
Thank you so much for your time, consideration, and concern for the welfare of California’s pet community.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Your Email / Phone]
Looking for more facts? Check out the AB 1382 fact sheet here to learn more about the bill or read the bill in it’s entirety here.
