Laws and local ordinances are useless unless they are enforceable. Previously, municipal enforcement of violations of animal care and treatment ordinances usually required cities to follow the same procedures as those for violations of criminal laws. 

This set a high bar for enforcement and required the city to devote valuable time and resources to prosecution. Thanks to SB654, violations of animal ordinances (and water conservation measures) will now be handled as civil, rather than criminal, matters. This change will result in greater enforcement and efficiency for all involved.