Regarding animals, rentals and draconian landlords

Good news for California renters. On Wednesday, August 25, a bill was passed that prohibits landlords from being able to require tenants who have pets to declaw or devocalize their animals. I wasn't even aware that such draconian measures were even legal. Thank goodness it's not anymore. Here's the language from the bill, Assembly Bill 2743:

AB 2743, as amended, Nava. Real property: rentals: animals.
Existing law regulates the terms and conditions of residential tenancies and governs the obligations of tenants and landlords under a lease or tenancy.
This bill would prohibit a landlord, that allows a tenant to have an animal on the premises, from advertising or establishing rental policies in a manner that requires a tenant or a potential tenant with an animal to have that animal declawed or devocalized, for nontherapeutic purposes, as a condition of occupancy. This bill would impose a civil penalty, not to exceed $1,000, for each violation that does not result in the declawing or devocalization of an animal. This bill would also impose a civil penalty, not to exceed $2,500, for each animal that is declawed or devocalized in violation of this prohibition of these provisions, to be paid to the owner or owners of an animal that is declawed or devocalized in violation of these prohibitions person or entity that brings the action . This bill would specifically authorize a person to seek declaratory or injunctive relief for a violation of this prohibition.
This bill would additionally authorize specified charitable organizations law enforcement prosecutorial entities to enforce these prohibitions.

Don't you love reading bills? You're welcome.

And in a story on the passing of the bill in the SF Gate, it says that "Eight local governments in California recently banned the practice of cat declawing, calling it inhumane." Agreed.