SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KABC) -- Several new California laws that will take effect on Jan. 1, 2026, are aimed at protecting pets, including banning cat declawing and cracking down on puppy mills.

In early October, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 867, which bans the practice of declawing cats when not medically necessary. Many other countries also ban the practice, which can lead to pain, infection, and behavioral changes.

"And so if it has to be done, the veterinarians are now required to document why -- the reasons and their procedures and any alternatives that failed, perhaps," said Madeline Bernstein, president of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles.

AB 506, authored by Assemblymember Steve Bennett (D-Ventura), aims to hold pet sellers accountable, requiring them to disclose the pet's origin and health information. The legislation also voids contracts that include non-refundable deposits, "which all too often result in a bait-and-switch by committing hopeful pet parents to unhealthy pets - and feeds the puppy mill industry," the governor's office said in a statement.

SB 312, by Senator Thomas Umberg (D-Santa Ana), requires dog importers to submit health certificates electronically to the California Department of Food & Agriculture within 10 days of shipment, and requires CDFA to provide those certificates upon request.

Read more here: ABC 7