SACRAMENTO, CA — Assemblymember Matt Haney (D–San Francisco) introduced AB 2344, a bill to streamline the process for abused animals in animal cruelty cases to get into safe environments.
Right now, these vulnerable animals are required to stay in shelters for prolonged periods of time as further evidence for courts to use during ongoing animal cruelty cases. The bill will allow prosecutors to petition the court to allow the animal to be transferred to the appropriate animal care facility, foster home, or get adopted 30 days after the defendant fails to appear in court. AB 2344 provides a straightforward solution, tackling both overcrowding in shelters and providing animals access to safe, stable homes in a timely manner.
“Animals are completely dependent on us for care and protection, and when that trust is shattered through abuse, we have a moral obligation to act,” said Assemblymember Haney. “Animal cruelty is unacceptable and when animals are held for unnecessary periods, this puts a roadblock to their recovery. AB 2344 will streamline that transfer process, providing a tool for courts and shelters to help animals receive earlier transfers into appropriate care. ”
If the petition is approved, the forfeiture hearing will occur in the same court handling the animal abuse case within 14 days of the petition’s filing date, ensuring due process while streamlining the transfer time for animals to be put in foster homes or the appropriate agency before the case concludes.
“Assembly Bill 2344 would help protect animals from continued abuse and neglect before more harm is done,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said. “People accused of serious animal cruelty should not be allowed to keep control of abused animals while a case slowly moves through the court system. The bill would also allow courts to prohibit individuals charged with animal cruelty and placed on diversion from owning or possessing animals during that period. Animal cruelty is deliberate violence against living beings, and offenders who commit these acts must be held fully accountable.”
Prolonged shelter stays also increases the risk for animals to develop harmful, long-term behavioral and physical consequences. Studies found that dogs go “kennel crazy” after being stuck in confined spaces for long periods, leading to aggressive, anxious, and even self-destructive behavior, making it more difficult for them to get adopted.
“Animals rescued from abuse should not be forced to spend months or even years languishing in shelters while criminal cases slowly move through the courts,” said Judie Mancuso, Founder and President of Social Compassion in Legislation, a cosponsor of the bill. “AB 2344 creates a clear pathway for prosecutors to seek forfeiture so these animals can finally leave behind the trauma they endured and begin healing in safe, loving homes. After everything they have suffered, they deserve stability, compassion, and a chance at a new life as quickly as possible.”
If approved, AB 2344 will protect these vulnerable animals from falling into these detrimental cycles of psychological and behavioral trauma, giving animals a second chance to get the care they deserve in secure, supportive homes efficiently.
This bill provides a targeted solution that tackles shelter capacity issues, helps streamline court procedural processes for prosecutors, while giving animals the opportunity to transition to stable homes efficiently.
AB 2344 will be heard in the Assembly Appropriations committee on Thursday.
