Animal activists protest reduced shelter holding times | Animal Lovers

SACRAMENTO, CA - A small crowd gathered at the state Capitol Tuesday to protest Gov. Brown's repeal of sections of the "Hayden Law."

STORY: Gov. Brown planning to repeal 'Hayden Law', reduce holding time for shelter animals

Named after state Sen. Tom Hayden, the law established a policy that "no adoptable or treatable animal be euthanized and set minimum requirements for animal shelters to carry out that policy."

Primarily, SB1785 created a reimbursable state mandate to require shelters to increase the holding period for strays, provide necessary and prompt veterinary care, maintain adequate lost and found lists, and extend the protections afforded to dogs and cats to other animals such as rabbits, birds, and guinea pigs.

If carried out, the repeal would reduce the time shelters are provided funding for holding strays from four or six days to three -- essentially permitting euthanization of stray or lost pets after three days. Individual shelters could still hold strays for longer periods, but would no longer receive invaluable government funding to do so.

Brown has previously stated the $23 million the state would save by repealing the law is equally invaluable to California's budget.