02/22/2025
Assemblymember Nick Schultz (D-Burbank) introduced AB 793, the Fairness to Dogs and Community Safety Act, cosponsored by Social Compassion in Legislation and the Democrats for the Protection of Animals. The bill aligns California law with six other states, including Delaware, New Jersey, and Ohio, by raising the level of proof required from the current "preponderance of the evidence" standard to "clear and convincing evidence" when deciding if a dog should be classified as dangerous or be euthanized if it cannot be reasonably and safely maintained through other means, such as required muzzling when in public, fencing, liability insurance, or other safety measures.
“The recent Burbank case involving Conan highlights the critical need for legislative measures like AB 793. This bill ensures that decisions regarding the euthanasia or classification of dogs as dangerous are based on substantial evidence and objective risk assessments, rather than the dog’s breed,” said Nick Schultz (D-Burbank). “By prioritizing fair and evidence-based public safety measures, AB 793 represents a significant step towards more compassionate and just treatment of animals."
"The law classifies dogs as property. If that is the case, then you cannot take my property away without clear and convincing evidence showing a history of my dog being a danger to society," said Maggie Q, actress, business owner, and Social Compassion in Legislation board member. “Until now, families such as Conan's have been unprotected and left open to the whims of public officials who believe their personal preference matters more than the rights of owners. AB 793 would require convincing evidence for a beloved family member to be proven a danger to society and thus be killed. We need to protect responsible pet owners, so that their families aren’t torn apart unnecessarily.”
After the entire ordeal surrounding Conan concluded, his family, Nelson Grande and Sylvia Franco, sighed with relief and hope for change in the law and said in a statement:
“For the first time in the last 11 months, we will be able to look our boy in the eye and tell him that he is safe. We are so grateful that everyone has been able to see that one incident in eight years does not define him. In his name, we commit to changing what desperately needs to be changed in law.”
"AB793 will make commonsense changes to assure basic fairness when dogs are investigated to determine whether they pose a safety risk to the public," said Dr. Jim Jensvold, President, Democrats for the Protection of Animals, and Commissioner, Los Angeles Animal Services. "We believe that greater accuracy and accountability are important, especially since the inappropriate destruction of a family's dog cannot be undone."
