Merced, CA (February 18, 2026) — Tens of thousands of healthy cats and dogs are euthanized in California every year — not because they are sick or aggressive, but because shelters have run out of room. Across the state, overcrowded facilities are facing mounting intake numbers, limited resources, and difficult decisions that animal advocates say are preventable. As the pet population continues to grow and access to affordable sterilization services remains limited in many communities, lawmakers are now advancing new efforts aimed at addressing the crisis at its source.
Assemblywoman Esmeralda Soria has introduced Assembly Bill 2010, legislation aimed at expanding access to high-quality, high-volume spay and neuter services throughout California. The proposal, announced during National Spay and Neuter Awareness Month, seeks to address growing shelter overcrowding and pet overpopulation by modernizing state law and allowing the use of Mobile Animal Sterilization Hospital (MASH) clinics.
According to Soria, rising veterinary costs and a statewide workforce shortage have left many communities — particularly in rural areas of the Central Valley — without adequate access to affordable spay and neuter services. She said current law limits the use of more advanced, efficient surgical techniques developed by veterinarians in recent years.
“California’s pet overpopulation crisis is out of control,” Soria said. “The crisis is even worse in rural regions throughout the Central Valley, where access to spay and neuter services may be hours away, and unaffordable for many communities. For too long, veterinary clinics have been inundated with high demand for spay and neuter services. AB 2010 provides a solution that will address this crisis.”
The bill would specify that veterinary facilities primarily performing high-quality, high-volume spay and neuter procedures would not be required to maintain a dedicated surgical suite solely for those services, while still complying with all other health and safety standards. Supporters say removing this regulatory barrier would allow clinics to increase surgical capacity more efficiently.
AB 2010 would also authorize the use of MASH clinics — mobile units capable of delivering large-scale sterilization services in community buildings and underserved regions. Advocates argue these mobile operations could significantly expand access in areas where veterinary care is limited.
“Lack of access to affordable veterinary care is one of the top reasons pet owners are forced to make the heartbreaking decision to surrender their beloved pets,” said Brittany Benesi, Senior Director of State Legislation (Western Division) for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). “We are grateful to Assemblywoman Soria for introducing AB 2010 during Spay Neuter Awareness Month to remove regulatory barriers and make high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter services more accessible to the pets who need it most.”
Dr. Jennifer Scarlett, CEO of the San Francisco SPCA, said mobile clinics could dramatically increase the number of sterilization surgeries performed statewide. “With California experiencing an access-to-veterinary-care crisis, we have to think innovatively about how we can most effectively and efficiently reduce the overpopulation problem. AB 2010 does exactly that,” Scarlett said.
Dr. Gary Weitzman, President and CEO of the San Diego Humane Society, also expressed support, stating that mobile, high-volume clinics have demonstrated success in reducing shelter intake and preventing unwanted litters. He described the bill as a science-based approach designed to meet the scale of California’s animal welfare challenges.
