So............... what do you think of this? =============================== It's not universal health care, and it's not gay marriage, but the bill that may get the biggest rise from Californians this year — mandatory sterilization of dogs and cats — took center stage Saturday at a public forum in Palo Alto. State Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, who convened the meeting, said he wanted to hear from people on both sides of the debate before the bill reaches a committee on which he serves, possibly next month. He realized how impassioned his constituents were, he said, when they kept approaching him with their thoughts during his "sidewalk office hours," held at local farmers' markets. "This is not an issue that I've had a lot of experience with," Simitian said to the crowd of about 300 people before listening to speakers for more than four hours in the Palo Alto City Council chambers. Assembly Bill 1634, by Assemblyman Lloyd Levine, D-Van Nuys, would prohibit possessing dogs or cats older than 4 months that have not been spayed or neutered. The bill offers exceptions for licensed breeders, show animals, working dogs and animals for whom a veterinarian has determined sterilization would be harmful. Scores of animal adoption organizations have lined up in support of the bill, hoping to reduce the number of cats and dogs euthanized in shelters every year, while a like number of dog owners and breedergroups are fighting the measure. "We kill a half-million animals every year and spend a quarter-billion dollars doing it," said Sarah Eryavec, adoption supervisor at the Santa Cruz County SPCA shelter, referring to statewide estimates. http://www.insidebayarea.com/ci_6218465?source=rss
I don't like the idea. I have a little pomeranian and will not breed him but I just don't want to neuter him. He is fine just the way he is. Edit: Oh wait! I had to show you guys this It is so funny, if you do get your dog neutered and he seems to be embarrased you can get him an artificial implant so he will "look" intact... http://www.neuticles.com/index1.html
Maybe they should require that people who don't neuter their pets pay some sort of tax or fee as I can see both sides to this.. I'm not sure I would agree they have the right to make it manadatory however..
I wonder if they are gonna go house to house and see whose animals are spayed/neutered? Or have a group of dudes wander around the streets feeling up dogs and cats? Seems unenforceable to me. The animals that are breeding (strays) are obviously not subject to this - who is going to round them all up?
We get half priced dog registration here if they are neutered. Save $20+ a year, but not sure if that's enough encouragement for a lot of people.
they'll go around ringing bells... "Bring out your balls!" much like they did back in the old days with "bring out your dead". I think the bill is whack. Only animals adopted from the shelter should be altered, and even then there should be the option not to by paying the shelter a small fee to NOT destroy a dog's ability to reproduce. I mean, what if you end up with a really great dog (Like we did many years ago) who is absolutely perfect, and would make an excellent sire to further on his genetic information? I would have certainly wanted that to happen, rather than him dying as he did with nothing but memories to live on. A descendant would have been nice.
A great point.. my ex-GF's dog just had to be put to sleep.. would have been great if he'd had puppies at some point but she'd had him neutered long ago.