Spay Neuter Ordinance Becomes Law!

MAYOR VILLARAIGOSA SIGNS SPAY/NEUTER ORDINANCE INTO LAW

LOS ANGELES - Pledging to continue the efforts to reduce pet euthanasia and control the City’s pet population, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, joined by Los Angeles City Councilmembers Richard Alarcón and Tony Cardenas, Los Angeles Department of Animal Services General Manager Ed Boks, Animal Rights Advocate Bob Barker, Humane Society of the United States President Wayne Pacelle, PETCO Foundation President Paul Jolly and local animal advocates, today signed the Spay/Neuter Ordinance, a new law that requires all pet owners in the City of Los Angeles to have their cats and dogs spayed or neutered.

"By requiring that all cats and dogs be spayed or neutered, we can help to humanely decrease the number of pets abandoned and euthanized each year," said Mayor Villaraigosa. "This ordinance, which contains clear guidelines and enforceable penalties, creates a valuable tool to take this city another step closer toward eliminating the unnecessary euthanasia of animals.

"The Spay/Neuter Ordinance will require all pet owners in the City of Los Angeles to have their cats and dogs (four months of age and older) spayed or neutered, unless otherwise exempted because the animal competes, serves as a rescue or service animal, or unless the pet is a registered breeder. Any person violating the spay/neuter law will be cited, and could be subject to up to a $500 dollar fine or 40 hours of community service.

“This spay and neuter will move Los Angeles towards being the most humane city in America by educating pet owners to be more responsible, making our streets safer, reducing the number of animals killed each year in our shelters and allowing us to more effectively use our resources,” said Councilmember Alarcón.

“The problem in our city is not the animals but the human owners, and this ordinance will allow the Department of Animal services to target resources towards the worst offenders whose irresponsibility threaten public safety and fills our shelters with unwanted dogs and cats.”

This new law, which aims to assist in humanely decreasing the number ofcats and dogs abandoned and euthanized every year, also poses health benefits for the animals as well. Spaying reduces the risk of certain types of cancers and infections in females, especially if it is performed prior to the first heat. Moreover, neutering lessens a dog's temptation to roam, as well as to fight, as studies show that the majority of dog bites are made by intact, untrained male dogs.

The signing of this ordinance comes on heels of Spay Day USA 2008, an annual Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) coordinated event, during which, thousands of volunteers coast to coast host activities to educate and assist people with getting their pets spayed or neutered.

“The Humane Society of the United States commends the Los Angeles City Council for passing this common sense measure that will save animal lives and taxpayer dollars,” said Wayne Pacelle, HSUS president and CEO. “Combined with the availability of financial assistance for pet owners in need, Los Angeles now has the tools in place for successfully ending the euthanasia of healthy and treatable animals.”

“As with so many important accomplishments, this Spay/Neuter law is not the end of the story, but rather just the beginning,” said Mayor Villaraigosa. “We will continue to lead the effort by getting our dogs and cats spayed and neutered, licensed and permitted, and saving more animals’ lives.”

The new Spay/Neuter law will take effect in April.


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L.A. to Mandate Pet Sterilization

City Council votes to require spaying or neutering for dogs and cats that are 4 months or older.

By Carla Hall, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
2:33 PM PST, February 1, 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."
carla.hall@latimes.com