Hayden Law

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In 1998, the "Hayden Law" is a law named after the California State Senator Tom Hayden who sponsored the bill became a law after then Governor Pete Wilson signed it into law in September, 1997. This law is often referred to as Senate Bill 1785 or SB 1785, and the history can viewed on the State of California Senate or Assembly websites. Law professor in animal law and nonprofit law Taimie Bryant of UCLA School of Law is also credited with writing the majority of the laws.

This piece of legislation made animal shelters in California more accountable and gave the public longer to find their lost animals, offered the public more "work friendly" hours to go to the shelters, and after a few years of the law being in place (July 1, 2001), offered owner surrendered animals the same amount of time (four to six business days not including the day of impoundment) to remain alive before being eligible for euthanasia.

Since many of the shelters in California were not following the law, and some more blatantly than others were violating the law, a lawsuit was filed in Kern County, California. Tom Hayden's staff attorney was one of the attorneys. The case title is Patricia A. Lock vs. County of Kern. The defending attorney is Kate Neiswender, Esq., of Ventura|, California, her specialty is environmental law. The case went on for nearly two years before being tried in Superior Court of California in Bakersfield, California on July 31, 2006. A verdict for the plaintiff, Patricia A. Lock was ordered on October 25, 2006, making this a historical case and the first case challenging the shelters breaking the Hayden Law. Patricia Lock did not win a monetary judgment in court, rather she won on behalf of the animals who now receive veterinary care, legal compliance with spay/neuter laws, and a host of other benefits not being followed by the shelters in Kern County prior to the Judgment being entered.