[ Post a Response | JDJ American Bulldog Preservation Board ]
Posted by Mark @ Big Sky Kennels
(bigsky) on 2/2/2008, 2:20 pm
67.142.130.37
Today a mandatory/spay neuter ordinance mandating sterilization at 4 months of age was passed by the Los Angeles City Council. The supporters of this bill including PETA, Assemblymember Lloyd Levine and Campaign Director Judie Mancuso are now moving to pass AB 1634, a statewide mandatory/spay neuter bill for California.
PetPAC is announcing today a renewed campaign effort to defeat AB 1634 once and for all. As opponents of mandatory sterilization laws, we must act immediately to stop these efforts to strip away the rights of pet owners.
Our opponents have recently raised millions of dollars to take away pet owners rights…today I am asking PetPAC members to once again contribute so we can continue the fight to defeat AB 1634.
One of the arguments used to pass the mandatory spay/neuter ordinance in Los Angeles was to prohibit ANY new dogs or cats from being born until the shelters were emptied. Our opponents include radical extremists who wish for the elimination of all family pets. Please don’t delay, we need your financial contribution today. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Bill Hemby
Chairman
P.S. Please contribute today and forward this message to your friends and family.
Carla Hall
LA Times
Feb 01, 2008
The Los Angeles City Council voted 10 to 1 today to approve mandatory sterilization of most pets at the age of 4 months or older - a decision greeted by cheers and applause from the crowded room at the Van Nuys City Hall - where the council meets the first Friday of every month.
The bill must get a second reading in a week, but it is expected to pass. A parade of supporters and opponents of the bill spoke passionately to the council, but in the end, the measure passed, with the sole dissenter being Councilman Bill Rosendahl. He told the council that he was an animal lover, but he professed outrage at the thought of animal control officers knocking on the doors of people's homes, calling it a "fascist-like" move.
The city has said enforcement of the measure, which affects dogs and cats, will be very low key.
"Compassion rules the day!" exclaimed Judy Mancuso, who runs the campaign to pass a similar law on the state level and was one of more than 100 people at today's meeting.
"I'm deeply disappointed," said Cathie Turner, the executive director of Concerned Dog Owners of California. "We have to think about what to do next. The mission of our organization is to protect the health of our dogs. The City Council has passed a bill that will force 95% of Angelinos to live with impaired dogs - not because they're spayed and neutered, but because they're spayed and neutered at the wrong age."
The organization believes the decision on when to spay or neuter, if at all, should be left to owners.
"Mandatory spay-neuter is a necessity," said former game show host Bob Barker, who has donated millions to subsidize the sterilization procedure. "For decades I closed every 'Price Is Right' urging viewers to have their pets spayed. . . . I'd like to think all of us working together would be enough. But it's not enough. We need legislation."
His remarks were greeted with applause and hoots of approval. The parade of speakers supporting the legislation included INXS band member Garry Beers, who told the council that his wife works with a rescue organization.
"I have seen the hopeless cause these people face trying to find homes for these animals," Beers said.
Other rescuers echoed his remarks, emphasizing the overwhelming nature of the task of finding homes for unwanted pets.
"I would like my guest house not to be a permanent foster facility," said Elizabeth Oreck, who works with a private rescue group. "I would like my taxes to be spent on something other than the housing and killing of animals."
The ordinance will require that all dogs or cats over the age of four months be spayed or neutered unless they qualify for one of the following exemptions:
The dog or cat is registered with a registry approved by the Los Angeles Department of Animal Services and the dog or cat is used to actively show and has competed in at least one show or sporting competition in the past year or is being trained to show or compete. (It is unclear how an owner would prove that an animal is being trained to show or compete and this would be decided by the Department of Animal Services when they draft additional regulations.)
The dog has earned, or if under 3 years old is in the process of earning an agility, carting, herding, protection, rally, hunting or other title from an approved registry or association.
The dog is trained or in the process of being trained as a guide, signal or service dog or is enrolled in a licensed breeding program for these activities.
The dog is trained or in the process of being trained and is actively used by law enforcement agencies or the military.
A licensed veterinarian certifies that the animal’s health would best be served by spaying/neutering after a specified date, or that due to age or poor health it is unsafe to sterilize the animal at this time.
The owner of the dog or cat has a valid breeding permit issued by the Los Angeles Department of Animal Services.
In addition intact animals must be microchipped and the chip number must be registered with the department.
The proposal will also establish an Animal Services Spay/Neuter Advisory Committee to advise the city on providing spay/neuter services to low income residents. Each member of the Los Angeles City Council will appoint a member to the committee
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Responses:
Board Administrator: Mark Moler
Co-Administrators: Paul Ciancio, Rob Barry,
and John Healy
