A California bill that sought to ban the sale of genetically modified pets, including hypothetical glowing rabbits and unicorns, has stalled in the state Senate. Assembly Bill 1382, titled the Ethics Over Aesthetics Act, was held under submission in the Senate Appropriations Committee, preventing its further advancement in the legislative session.
The proposed legislation aimed to prohibit the sale of pet animals with "cosmetic transgenic traits," defined as any modification that alters an animal's natural appearance or functions. This included changes to fur, skin, feathers, or scales, as well as the removal of claws or vocal cords, or the addition or subtraction of appendages. The bill would have covered common household pets such as dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, mice, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Violations could have resulted in civil penalties of at least $5,000.
Introduced by Assemblymember Leticia Castillo, the bill had previously passed unanimously in the State Assembly and received bipartisan support in the Senate Judiciary Committee. However, animal welfare advocates suggest that political considerations contributed to its demise. Michelle Kelly, chief executive of the Los Angeles Rabbit Foundation, expressed confusion over the bill's failure to progress, stating, "It’s my belief that there is some kind of political game going on."
Technological advancements in gene editing, particularly the CRISPR tool, are making the development of such modified animals increasingly feasible. A legislative analysis of the bill referenced a WIRED article detailing The Los Angeles Project, a startup aiming to create glow-in-the-dark rabbits and unicorns. Separately, biotech startup Kindred Companion Sciences has developed gene-edited beagles designed to be hypoallergenic, with the dogs born in September 2024 exhibiting healthy development.
Assemblymember Castillo stated her commitment to continuing the fight for animal welfare, emphasizing that the bill was intended to protect animals from becoming "novelty products." She added that while disappointed, she remains dedicated to addressing the issue as the technology for creating "designer pets" continues to evolve.