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Mandatory spay and neuter
Topics: Bakersfield, Kern County, pet, Dogs, cats
Posted by kelpiedude Fri May 4, 2007 09:33:38 PDT
Viewed 834 times
0 responses 13 comments

As many of you may or may not know, Kern County and California want to pass a mandatory spay and neuter law for ALL dogs and cats 4 months of age and older.

California is calling it the Healthy Pet Act, AB1634.

Spaying at such an early age causes many health problems. And fines for having an unaltered dog or cat can be in the $500 range. In many counties the cost of spay and neutering has gone from $200 to over $500.

If the law passes it would bring an end to many purebred and all mixed-breed dogs. It would also make it easier to start passing breed-ban laws in Kern County and California. You would no longer have the right to own the breed of your choice.

In California court, our pets are our property, so really this is a property rights issue. Just another way to tell us what we can't do with our property.

If you would like to help fight this new law here in Kern County, please be at the next Kern County Animal Control meeting May 16 at 6 p.m. at 2700 M St. Or take a look at the Web sites below for more information on AB1634 and how you can help join the fight to Save Our Dogs –– and your property rights.

––Eddy Aldridge

 

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Comment From: chessiemomof2

Oh, Eddy, as usual, you are one of the louder voices in the community, but you don't have a clue of what you are talking about. Lemme educate you: AB1634 will not cause an end to breeding, showing, etc. Everyone has a right to buy a permit. It's simple. Want an intact dog? Buy a permit. AB1634 has nothing to do with breed bans. It's about stopping the KILLING. I pay taxes to kill animals. So do you- all of you. Do you support that, or do you want to change it? There are many vets all over the country that support pediatric spay/neuter. There was a widely accepted and unrefuted scientific study produced by Purina which showed spay/ neuter to have relatively insignificant effect on puppy growth related to weight and height. AB1634 is also supported by the American Veterinary Medical Association. It will take years to see an end to discarded companion animals suffering and dying in our shelters. According to your local shelter stats, 35% of impounded dogs are purebred. Want a purebred? Go pick one from the shelter. There are plenty of highly adoptable dogs there that need homes. Your shelter intakes about 100 animals a day. They are held for 4 days per the Hayden Law. Then about 80% of them are KILLED. They sit in wet runs, get fed once a day and sometimes have to fight for food. They get sick, and are surrounded by hysterical, fearful barking. They get dragged down the hall to the KILL room to meet their deaths at the end of a needle. They are then thrown into barrels that are picked up by a fendering company. (Do some research and see what the product is used for!) Further inspection of the Bakersfield Californian classified for sale ads on a Sunday will give you an eyeopening picture of over 100 ads for dogs and puppies for sale. I seriously doubt that most of the breeders selling animals are paying sales tax or possess business or kennel licenses. I pay taxes to KILL, but nobody pays taxes per the IRS law to breed? I'm not sure which Constitutional Right in the Bill of Rights you are referring to that covers dog ownership or breeding. It would be helpful if you could clarify this for all of us. You state that costs have risen for spay and neuter in your area. I would hope that you could find the time and motivation to throw just as much energy and noise behind subsidized spay/neuter so that the problem of discarded dogs and cats truly is solved. There are plenty of people in your town that DO want to do the right thing and can't afford to. If more people were willing to speak out about the way their tax dollars were cruelly spent, maybe Kern County (and City) would actually get a subsidized spay/neuter program off the discussion table, and out onto the streets. Comment From: rushdoggie

even better: Any "competition" licenses granted for show dogs will be null and void after 1-1-2009!! That's right - if this thing passes - BEGINNING 1-1-2009 EVERY DOG & CAT in CA WILL BE REQUIRED TO BE NEUTERED AT 4 MONTHS OF AGE - REGARDLESS OF ANY special license!!! THIS mean NO MORE DOG SHOWS!!! Please read on below. YOu can also check the legislative page on AKC.org for updates. This is the first step to no dogs. This is what teh animal righst people want: no pets. Pet over population is a serious problem , but this is not the answer. Education, affordable s/n programs and incentives for s/n are the answer. Comment From: swgymmomma

Honestly, I don't know where to begin. Let's start with the statement that health problems are caused by early spaying. In my vast experience, that is simply false and I'd have to see the veterinary medical research conclusively proving that. I worked with one of the first rescues to participate in early spay/neuter programs in the late 90's and, honestly, we saw quicker recovery times and lower mortality rates than with traditional spays/neuters. As for the spay costs mentioned...$500 for a spay? Where was that, Beverly Hills? Does that come with a tummy tuck? Sure, I would like to see better spay/neuter prices here, but I have never found anyone here charging over $220 for the largest of dogs, and I have done my research. This bill, quite simply, is designed to decrease the number of unwanted animals killed in shelters each year. On any given day, you can look in the newspaper and find twenty ads for purebred puppies from unlicensed, uncaring breeders who don't even know what vaccines are recommended to protect the dogs they sell. Maybe they should take a walk through the shelter and see how many of these same breeds are sitting in cages waiting to be killed, discarded like trash once they stopped being a "cute puppy". As for breed bans, that is inflammatory rhetoric and there is no basis to assume that bans would follow. The bill would, however, encourage lower spay/neuter costs and make the procedure more affordable for many who can't currently afford it. If you are a responsible breeder, you can easily get a permit to breed. If you are a responsible breeder, you do it for the love of the breed, not to line your pockets, and you should carefully screen the homes your dogs go to and have a guarantee to take any of your dogs back if it becomes necessary. Backyard breeders, I hope this bill passes and puts you out of business. As far as I'm concerned, it is a pity that we can't somehow track and send every irresponsible breeder a bill for the cost of killing each and every animal they sold that wound up in the shelter. You can talk about "property rights" all you want, but I don't consider something "property" if it has a heartbeat. Comment From: StacyReichert

The Assembly Bill 1634 does not allow for proper exemptions for our much needed working breeds!!! These breeds include but not limited to Police Canine Units, Ranch and Farm Working Dogs, Search and Rescue Dogs this list goes on and on!!! C.O.P.S. is against this AB 1634, Ranchers are against this Bill. Take a good look at this Ab 1634 and see the many working dog associations that are against this AB. "I continue to see the word "Pet" but nobody is using the term "Working Dog." Please look at the AB 1634 for yourself and see if you agree with your rights being taken away!!! http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/p... I could touch on so many issues proposed in this Bill that are just "Wrong" but the public needs access to see it for themselves and more venues to speak their opposition since the local and nation wide media is so bias on this and will not allow our opposition to be heard. I guess most public media venues are too afraid to go against "Big Government" I'm not are you? Thank you to "The Southwest Voice" for not giving in to Big Government nor being bias!!! Sincerely, Stacy Reichert Comment From: scc

Eddy is exactly right. The research has already been done by CCI- Canine Companions for Independence. They did research from the early 90's indicating problems which caused them to change their spay/neuter procedures. And I quote "The early-age spayed females were significantly more dog aggressive than the traditional- age spayed females. Urinary incontinence was a much bigger problem in the early-age spayed females compared to the traditional- age spayed females. The early-age neutered males were more fearful than the traditional- age neutered males. The bottom line is that the early-age spay/neuter dogs had a significantly higher failure rate in CCI's program... a smaller percentage of them grew up to be working dogs. As a result, CCI will not spay/neuter dogs before 6 months of age, and usually wait until dogs are more than 12 months old to spay/neuter. If the legilative body in CA cared about spay/neuter then they would be offering subsidies to provide people with incentive to spay and neuter their pets. Instead they are taking away rights. This is just the first step for animal rights to take away all our rights for animals. The fact is, CA''s actually TAKING in dogs from pounds in other states and other countries. The only people that will be hurt by this law are the legitimate, caring people who actually follow the law. It will not impact the people who don't care about their animals and allow them to roam and become unintionaly pregnant, it won't help with those people who are already outside the law breeding their dogs for dog fighting. The animal rights people pushing this law don't care about the health or lives of the animals that are being killed. Indeed, they kill animals themselves that could have otherwise been placed. They only care about taking away the rights of legitimate, dog loving citizens. Comment From: lttlmonky

I have been reading the laws and I have lots of questions. The first, in the law it states that to get a permit your animal must be used to show or compete and has competed in at least one legitimate show or sporting competition hosted by, or under the approval of, a recognized purebred registry or association, in the last two years in which the local animal control agaency will pick. As many people know there are organizations who don't recognize each other in these areas, how is the local agency going to decide who is on the list? Second, if you dog or cat are too young for competition they have to be in the process of earning, a conformation, obedience, agility, carting, herding, protection, rally, sporting, working, or other title from an approved purebred registry or association. How many purebred registry or associations offer the classes listed above in Kern County? I am getting my dogs into competitions, however I am having to go through private trainers who are not purebred registered to train in these areas. Third, how this will be inforced? They state in this law it will be payed for by permits people buy for the unaltered dog and the local animal control agency will be those who enforce this law. What are they going to do, knock on every persons door in Kern County, or mabey get those who advertise in the paper. Our local animal control agency is overwelmed as is, and now they have more to do, higher new help some say but how many people in Kern County are going to buy a permit and not try to dodge it. Let's just look at a number, there are 780,117 people in the Kern Ccounty according the the U.S Census. Let's say that 250,000 people buy a 500.00 permit. The total for that is 125.000. The permits last about 9 months. So pay 20 new employees at 15.00 an hour 40 hours a week, the total is 108.000 and this isn't including overtime. I know that this law is suppose to stop backyard breeders, but it won't, they will find another way to do it, just like the illegal drugs in the country. People like these are not following the laws now, what makes you think they will start as soon as this bill passes. This law is suppose to lessen the amount of unwanted animals in the facilities, and yes in the far future it may. However, those who don't follow the laws will just dump those poor animals anywhere, in the canals, wilderness, shopping malls etc. They will do it under the cover of crowds, or darkness, just as they are doing now. The only thing that will change with that is it will be in higher volumes and this will cause the animal control to be out gathering these poor animals even more than they are now. I do know that the county is in the process of a spay and neuter moble unit that will go to local animal control agencies in Kern County and spay the unwanted animals there. Good idea, however why not go into the low income areas of the County and offer very low cost spay and neuter. No offence but, those animals who are already in the shelters(80%)are already dead in five days, so why waste the money. Those who are adopted out are fixed before they leave the facility and the new pet owners have payed for it. I am a hugh beleiver that we have way too many animals being killed everyday, and it hurts my heart, however, I think we all need to get together and think hard about alternatives besides taking away responsible peoples rights. I know that is we put together the minds of those who are tired of the overpopulation of unwanted animals we can come up with alternatives that will work for both sides. Thank you for taking your time in supporting these issues reguardless your position and for taking into consideration the opposing sides without repromanding their position. Comment From: princessdy

Actually Eddie is right. This Mandatory S/N Law is going to end all dog competitions and happy and healthy dogs will no longer be bred in California. A dog must be over 6 months to compete. According to this law the dog must be sterilized by four months. Um, do the math. The only extemption or extention is given is for sick animals. So the reality of the law is dog competitions and shows will be zilch. It's our Bill of rights is being attacked. We are AMERICANS and according to our Constitution we are free to make choices about our property. Our Counrty is slowly being turned into Nazi germany or Communist China or USSR. What next?  Will they tell how many children to have and what sex they must be? If we don't take a stand then we are nothing but sheep following blindly.

Keep up the good work Eddy!!!!"

Comment From: kelpiedude

Noone is saying every dog should be bred, nor is anyone saying to no dog should be spay & neutered... Most service dogs are spay & neutered. Noone would breed their sevice dogs anyway... No blind persons is going to give getting around to have puppies.. It where the service dogs come from.. Myself I have always spay & neutered all my dogs, I have never bred my dogs and never had a little of puppies.. I dont know if I ever will ? But that is my choice.. But there are many breeds that are not AKC breeds and many dogs that are brought here from other countries.. That because they are not part of one of the bigger dog clubs registries here will have to spay & neutered.. So of us with us that have proformance dogs and working ranch dogs.. Do even start are dogs in training til at lest 10 months of age & older.. So at 4 months we dont even know what we have... For those of us that trial or dogs in agility, the club I trial in doesnt even allow dogs to trial til 15 months of age.. We dont start our stockdogs til at 10 months of age in training.. I know I wait til the grouth plates are closed.. Early spay & neuter couses weight gain in many dogs that causes even more stress to groth plates.. Many dogs would have to be spay & neutered before they ever get a chance to prove themselves... Not to mention if some kid really wants a puppy, they are going to get it somewhere.. Then in 2 or 3 years when they are tired of it.. It will still end up in the pound.. If we are so over run at our shelters, then why is the SPCA here in Bakersfield calling ads out of the paper looking for kittiens ? Why the call the kern county shelter ? Eddy Comment From: vedwards

We here who support this legislation are not the enemy. We too are concerned about animals. ALL animals. Not just those who are owned and how this will affect them. It is the animals that don't have a voice that we are fighting for. While some of you are quick to defend your "rights" to do as you wish with your animals, where is your concern for the animals who's right to life is taken away everyday in this country? Eddy, you have been treating this as an us versus them proposal from day one. You still claim that Kern County is trying to pass mandatory spay/neuter and yet mandatory was taken off the table months ago. So again I will say, as far as Kern County goes, mandatory is out. We are just trying to find common ground now that will benefit all the animals affected who are dying everyday here simply because they have no place to go. Do I hope AB1634 passes? You bet I do. Because I see what many of you who oppose don't see and frankly could care less about. Animals that are being abused and neglected on a daily basis and dying in our shelters everyday because "people" stopped caring or as is even more prevelant, never did care. Many of you in attendance at the commission meetings have been quick to clump us all together as animal rights extremists and PETA supporters, when nothing could be farther from the truth. I, for one oppose PETA and their tactics and I have owned Pit Bulls for 25 years, so the idea that I would support anything that would even resemble breed bans is ridiculous. I took on this battle because I volunteered at our local shelter and seen firsthand the horrors that we as "people with rights" are inflicting on our animals. How many of you who oppose, can say the same thing? Sadly, we as a community have been "educating" for decades with little effect on the numbers of animals being euthanized everyday.On average, thousands of animals die in our shelter's every single month. Is that exceptable to you? Or is that just the "collaterall damage" necessary, so that people can retain their "right" to breed without restriction? Whether it be AB1634 or our own local proposal, excemptions have been made for those who have concerns. For those who aren't yet aware, your AKC which many of you so readily support, was asked repeatedly to help with defining the language for AB1634. All efforts were met with a resounding NO. A mediator was even hired to find a common ground for breeders to have a voice in this proposed legislation when all other efforts failed. The AKC refused any cooperation. Blame them when you feel as though you now as breeders don't have a voice. Working dogs, service dogs, etc have now been included in the new language adopted on 04/30/07. There are loopholes for you, use them. Concerned about early age altering? Provisions have been made for that too. Extensions provide that an animal can wait until they are six months old if you have concerns. If you have medical concerns affecting your animal get the support of your vet. It would appear to me that most opposition has more to do with the cost it may take to properly insure you are in compliance, than it is about the concerns for "your animals". Let's ALL be honest here. It is, what it is and from the opposition I have dealt with, the writing is plainly on the wall. It is a cost issue that concerns most, nothing more. But sadly, alot of people simply can't see past their own pocketbooks enough to understand that our tax dollars are being used to kill these animals. So in effect, we all are already paying the cost. Apparently it is more of a struggle for many to write that additional check for fee's to insure compliance and your right to breed, etc, than it is to have the government just take it from you. Frankly, I would much rather see my tax dollars spent towards prevention rather than maintenece, wouldn't you? Many say they are responsible pet owners and are being unfairly targeted. Define responsible pet owner for me, please. I find it ironic that many of the people who define themselves as responsible,law abiding pet owners are not currently licensing their animals. That has been well proven in this county. It seems funny to me that no one ever steps forward and says I am an irresponsible pet owner, yet millions of animals in our shelters everyday are coming from somewhere, aren't they? Many people are quick to oppose this legislation, but few have come up with any viable alternatives to stop the killing. When those who oppose this legislation or any other for that matter, are willing to bring idea's to the table that will work to end the slaughter of millions of animals every year, maybe then we can find a way to stop the suffering. Until then, what would YOU suggest we do for them? Vera Edwards Comment From: kelpiedude

Then why is it still in writing on everything I get from the meetings ? As long as it is in writing IT IS STILL THERE.. Comment From: princessdy

I understand that this is supposed to be about the animals. My concern is what about the animals that belong to those who have "business Lisence". The majority of these are puppy mills. These people could careless about how their animals are treated. They do not have any genetic testing done to see if the said animal is of quality breeding stock. they just breed dogs together every time the female comes into heat. This is terrible. So if we are concerned for these animals then why are we jepordizing the health and integrity of these animals. Reputable and resonsible breeders test for any and all faults. They both know the good and the bad of the breed. The are very selective on where the pups go and most of them require contracts. So this "LAW" is not about the animal well being, its an attempt to control and dictate our lives. Comment From: vedwards

The truth about all this controversy over mandatory spay/neuter is really about greed versus those that care. Breeders don’t want to have to spend any money or be regulated, so they are mounting this huge campaign. Their arguments about the perils of early spay/neuter, and how service, police, and registered pure bred dogs will be obsolete, hold very little water. When those arguments don’t work, they talk about how their rights are being taken away, and exaggerate the dollar figures of fines, permits and vet costs. And the fact is that this will lead to breed bans is just preposterous.Those in support of this proposed state legislation have no personal or financial stake in the issue, they just truly care about the animals and the horrors of dog and cat overpopulation. Regulation of dog and cat breeding is much like regulating many other privileges in our country. When the privilege is abused, it needs regulation. This legislation requires very little from the legitimate responsible breeder, insuring the perpetuation of pure breed, service, and police dogs. On the other hand, it puts a powerful stop to irresponsible backyard breeders, who create the overpopulation we see in the overwhelming numbers of animals KILLED in shelters through out the state. If you question these facts, read the legislation at www.cahealthypets.com.

Susan Madigan

Comment From: StacyReichert

swgymmomma, I paid over $300 for my Queensland to be spayed at N.O.R. Vet with their "Pampered Package" so my girl would get the best of care and be observed through the first few days of recovery just in case any complications arose, therefore; your "RESERCH" is incomplete and inaccurate! I love my dogs and I do care about all animals but Chapter 9 in Assembly Bill 1634 "DOES NOT" begin to solve the overpopulation, back yard breeders, puppy mills and even dog fighting rings which are all under the radar!! Why punish us responsible owners? Get out there and locate the real "Bad Guys"!!! Sincerely, Stacy Reichert