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
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
No comments:
Post a Comment