Posted on 02/26/2008 7:15:03 PM PST by Awestruck
LOS ANGELES - Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on Tuesday signed one of the nation's toughest laws on pet sterilization, requiring most dogs and cats to be spayed or neutered by the time they are 4 months old.
The ordinance is aimed at reducing and eventually eliminating the thousands of euthanizations conducted in Los Angeles' animal shelters every year.
"We will, sooner rather than later, become a no-kill city and this is the greatest step in that direction," Councilman Tony Cardenas said as he held a kitten at a City Hall news conference.
The ordinance does exempt some animals, including those that have competed in shows or sporting competitions, guide dogs, animals used by police agencies and those belonging to professional breeders.
The average pet owner, however, must have their dog or cat spayed or neutered by the time it reaches 4 months of age (as late as 6 months with a letter from a veterinarian).
First-time offenders will receive information on subsidized sterilization services and be given an additional 60 days. If they still fail to comply they could be fined $100 and ordered to serve eight hours of community service. A subsequent offense could result in a $500 fine or 40 hours of community service.
Many states require animals adopted from shelters to be sterilized, and New York City requires the same for animals bought from pet shops, but restrictions such as Los Angeles' are rare. A 2006 Rhode Island law requires most cats to be sterilized.
A measure similar to Los Angeles' passed the California Assembly last year but did not gain state Senate support.
Los Angeles animal shelters took in 50,000 cats and dogs last year and euthanized approximately 15,000 at a cost of $2 million, according to city officials.
Bob Barker, the retired game-show host who famously ended every "Price is Right" show with a call for sterilizing pets, pushed for the law's adoption and was among those at Tuesday's news conference.
"The next time that you hear me say, 'Help control the pet population, have your pet spayed or neutered,' I can add, 'It's the law in Los Angeles,'" a jubilant Barker said.
As the puppies go, so too go the babies.
how i miss thee, America.
That's a dumb statement.
Are you allowed to dump your trash under your neighbors home in the name of freedom?
Why do you think it should be alright to let your cats and dogs breed there?
Typical multi-culti, Third World, boot-heel-in-the-neck oppression from The Land Of Fruits And Nuts, although out there, it's self-propagating. Those rectal sluices on the Left Coast aren't able to exist on their own without legislative fiat to subsidize their existence, much less take responsibility for the stewardship of a domseticated animal. The friggin' stray dogs they're trying to eliminate have a greater sense of independence and self-preservation than those hippy-dippy lemmings.
Interesting, since that isn't old enough to have competed in shows. Conformation or Obedience (AKC) entrants must be 6 months old to compete.
You are implying that if your dog goes to the veterinarian it knows the difference between a shot for rabies and a shot to sedate it for sterilization?
That's a dumb statement.
So you don't think forced human sterilization is on the horizon?
Will illegal aliens have to obey this law?
>Why do you think it should be alright to let your cats and dogs breed there?<
If someone has a purebred dog or cat, and wants to breed a litter, chances are they will be sold to people who want them for pets. In other words, they will not end up in a shelter.
IF Los Angeles simply enforced their leash laws, they would reduce unwanted litters by a significant percentage. If they wanted a further reduction, they could simply open free spay/neuter clinics.
They don’t want to “help” pets, they want power.
Will you be mad if birds from my trees land on your trees?
No I don’t.
I will if you OWN the birds.
Aren’t liberals pets? -Wb
Henceforth, owners of cats with balls shall be deballed upon detection!!
It takes at least a year to 18 months to determine if a working hunting dog has breeding potential. This is more nanny state BS.
A lot of people are going to support this law because they are concerned about unwanted pets, stray animals, etc. And they are right to be concerned. It’s obviously something that people need to care more about.
But I don’t.
It’s another bald-faced intrusion by the government into the privacy of the family home. Another way for the government to insert a measure of control in a place where they have no business being. Another nail in the coffin of American freedoms.
We are being nibbled to death by ducks.
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