The Golden State has boasted its reputation as a fantastic state to live in. In everything from its sultry coastlines to tourist hotspots, California has become a trailblazer in almost every lifestyle field. Now, this has taken on a more serious approach-his time, for our furry, four-legged friends.

Earlier this month, on Oct. 17, Governor Jerry Brown signed into law, known as Law AB-485, prohibiting pet stores from selling pets originating from puppy mills. California has become the first state to fully enact this law. The law includes primarily dogs, cats and rabbits. Law AB-485 is a huge milestone victory in the eternal fight against animal cruelty.

Although there is no dictionary definition for the term, a "puppy mill" usually refers to an unregulated breeding facility, where domesticated animals, such as dogs and cats, are bred and sold to pet store distributors, at the expense of the animal's well being. In addition to avoiding jurisdiction from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, puppy mills are often characterized as hazardous, unhygienic, and cruel.

Thousands of puppy mills exist in the United States, often in rugged, woody areas where few people live. Also known as "backyard breeding," puppy mills are one of the biggest offenders of animal cruelty in the United States.

According to the ASPCA, almost 7 million pets enter the United States and are dropped off in shelters, with a staggering 1/4 of that number being subjected to euthanasia, due to shelter crowding, behavioral issues and illness. The most common shelter animals are dogs, many of whom were abandoned, surrendered or abused.

Most victims are dogs, often female dogs which are forced to continuously breed to maximize profits and produce as many offspring as possible. Not only does this damage the mother's reproductive system over repeated use without rest, the mothers have little to no interaction with their offspring, leaving the mother's heart empty and broken.

Law AB-485 will be a major obstacle to those who conduct such awful business, as animal trafficking is a huge problem nowadays. Animals are used for profit, tools, medicine, testing, food, the list goes on and on. This piece of legislation might prove harmful to popular retailers

According to an investigation conducted by PETA, major retailers including Petsmart and Petco have been linked to exotic pet mills and suppliers who conduct inhumane business practices-stuffing animals inside cramped and rusty cages, with little to no necessities such as food and water and no medical care. Thousands of animals have died this way, left in horrible conditions.

At the end of the day, you have to think about the animals. They don't have a voice, so we need to be their voice. The fight against animal cruelty is difficult, but it's worth it.