California
We strive to advance protections for wildlife and all animals in California
What We Do
California is widely recognized as an animal protection movement leader, setting high animal welfare standards and inspiring other states to follow suit. The state has consistently enacted progressive legislation to safeguard animals, reflecting the values of its residents who prioritize humane treatment. California was the first state to ban the sale of animal-tested cosmetics and prohibit the sale of fur products statewide, setting a powerful precedent for cruelty-free commerce. It also led the nation by passing Proposition 12, which establishes some of the world’s strongest farm animal confinement standards, ensuring more humane living conditions for pigs, hens, and calves.
Additionally, California’s strict regulations on puppy mills and pet store sales promote adoption from shelters and rescues, helping to address pet overpopulation. The state is also at the forefront of protecting wildlife, with comprehensive laws to ban trophy hunting of mountain lions and restrict the use of harmful rodenticides. Through pioneering policies and unwavering advocacy, California continues to be a trailblazer in the animal protection movement, influencing national conversations and inspiring legislative change nationwide.
We strive to advance protections for all animals in California — companion, farmed, and wild. We aim to engage the public in addressing critical animal welfare issues, increasing awareness and fostering collaboration with state officials and stakeholders. To that end, we:
- Connect advocacy organizations and individuals across the state to collectively engage with the California legislature in crafting and supporting landmark animal protection laws.
- Collaborate with state agencies and stakeholders to promote a unified legislative agenda.
Partner with advocacy groups to advance California’s animal welfare legislative goals.
Educate the public about the corporate impacts of animal welfare.
Our State Director
Kayla Capper
Kayla Capper has been a dedicated animal advocate since the age of 11. Her journey began with attending city council meetings and working on campaigns against live animal markets, fur, circuses, animal testing, and live lobster tanks. At 12, she became the volunteer Youth Coordinator for In Defense of Animals and later earned her Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences.
As senior humane policy volunteer leader with a major animal welfare organization, she managed the Prop 12 campaign in Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties. She also served as the volunteer coordinator at Santa Paula Animal Rescue Center, where she established their humane education program. Her advocacy is primarily focused on legislation and volunteer engagement, and she’s especially passionate about farm animals.
Kayla is a vegan personal chef and distance runner in her spare time. She now lives on her five-acre animal rescue in Ojai, where she shares her home with a vibrant family of dogs, cats, horses, pigs, goats, and chickens.
Want to learn more or get involved with Animal Wellness Action in California? Email kcapper@animalwellnessaction.org
TOP PRIORITIES for california
AB 347 — The CLASS (Compassionate Advancements in Science Studies) Act
This bill aims to modernize science education in California by requiring teachers to inform students in writing of their right to choose non-animal alternatives for dissection. It also mandates transparency about the sourcing and environmental impacts of dissection upon request. AB 347 promotes more inclusive, trauma-informed classrooms while preventing the unnecessary deaths of millions of animals each year. Dissection is costly, exposes students and educators to carcinogenic chemicals, and negatively impacts the environment. In the U.S., an estimated 10 million animals are killed annually for dissection, including wild-caught frogs (disrupting ecosystems), fetal piglets taken from their mothers, and cats who may be lost pets. Many other animals are cruelly drowned or suffocated for this practice.
AB 631 — The Animal Shelter and Rescue Data Collection Act
Initiated by Social Compassion in Legislation (SCIL), this bill would require all animal shelters and rescues in California to publicly post intake and outcome data on their website or a third-party platform for at least five years. Since nearly all municipal shelters transfer animals to rescues, access to this data is crucial for understanding the pet overpopulation crisis. Greater transparency would provide policymakers with a clearer picture of the issue and lead to more strategic allocation of resources. Currently, California cities and counties spend over $400 million annually to operate animal shelters, primarily funded by the state’s general fund. Improved data collection and public access would help reduce inefficiencies, prevent overlap, and highlight the vital role private rescues play in supporting municipal shelters.
AB 793 — Burden of Proof for Potentially Dangerous and Vicious Dogs
This bill seeks to ensure a fair and evidence-based process in determining whether a dog is classified as “vicious.” It would require courts or other adjudicating bodies to establish a dog’s classification through clear and convincing evidence, rather than lower standards of proof. This change would help prevent unjust designations and ensure that decisions are based on substantial and reliable evidence.
SB 221 — Expanding Stalking Laws to Protect Animals
This bill would amend Penal Code Section 646.9 to align California’s stalking laws with federal statutes by including threats to a victim’s pet as a component of threatening behavior. Recognizing that abusers often target pets to intimidate or manipulate victims, this amendment strengthens protections for both people and their animals, ensuring greater safety for survivors of stalking and domestic violence.
