L.A., CA and NJ are at it again!

[JonandMichelle]

L.A. and New Jersey both are trying to pass MANDATORY spay/neuter laws; again! These laws...ordinances will have an impact on MANY RESPONSIBLE animal owners and breeders. Please make your self aware of these proposals! If you live in either of these states; fight them! If you do not live in these states, be aware these laws could be visiting you too shortly.

From Jan Cooper:

ALERT: Los Angeles, CA

Here is the proposed ordinance:

The following subsections (2) through (8) are proposed as additions to
Subsection (b) of Section 53.15.2 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code:
(b) Intact Dogs and Cats:
(2) No person, within the City of Los Angeles, shall own a dog or cat over
the age of four months that has not been spayed or neutered, unless the animal
is exempt from the requirement to be spayed or neutered by reason of one of the
following, and is in compliance with Subdivisions (3) and (4) below:
A. The dog or cat is a breed approved by and is registered with a
registry or association recognized by the Department through its
Commission, whose program and practices are consistent with the humane
treatment of animals, and the dog or cat is actively used to show or
compete and has competed in at least one legitimate show or sporting
competition hosted by, or under the approval of the recognized registry or
association within the last two years, or is being trained or groomed to show
or compete and is too young to have yet competed.
B. The dog has earned, or if under three years old, is actively being
trained and in the process of earning, an
agility, carting, herding, protection,
rally, hunting, working, or other title from a registry or association approved
by the Department through its Commission.
C. The dog is being, or has been appropriately trained and is actively
used in a manner that meets the definition of guide, signal or service dog as
set forth in Subdivisions (d), (e), and (f) of Section 3655 of the Penal Code,
or the dog is documented as enrolled in a guide, signal or service dog
breeding program administered by a person licensed under Chapter 9.5
(commencing with Section 7200) of Division 3 of the California Business
and Professions Code.
D. The dog is appropriateiy trained or is in the process of being trained
and is actively used by law enforcement agencies or the military for law
enforcement, military or rescue activities.
E. The owner of the dog or cat provides a leiter to the Department
from a licensed veterinarian certifying that the animal would be best served
by spaying after a specified date; that due to
age, poor health, or illness it is
unsafe to spay or neuter the animal at that time; or that arrangements have
been made to spay or neuter the dog or cat within 60 days after the
compliance deadline and the dog or cat is spayed or neutered within that
60-day period. This leiter shall include the veterinarian's license number,
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the date by which the animal may be safely spayed or neutered, and
updated periodically as necessary. In addition, if the leiter from the licensed
veterinarian certifies that arrangements have been made to spay or neuter
the dog within 60 days from the date the dog reaches the age of four
months, and the dog is spayed or neutered within that 60-day period, the
owner shall qualify for the lower license fee and license tax for an altered
dog. It shall be the owner's responsibility to comply with the spay/neuter
provisions of this chapter, including paying the license fee and license tax.
F. The dog or cat has a valid breeding permit issued to the owner
pursuant to Subsection (c) below.
(3) An unaltered dog or cat shall be implanted with an animal identification
device identifying the owner of the animaL.
(4) In addition to meeting one of the exemptions in this section, the dog
license application for an unaltered dog shall
contain the information requested
by the Department, including the identification number of the implanted animal
identification device, the name and address of the owner and the location at
which the dog will be maintained.
(5) A license for an unaltered dog shall not be transferable, and shall not be
issued to any person under the age of eighteen years.
(6) An unaltered dog that has a valid dog license from the Department shall
not be subject to Subsection (b) of this section
until the dog license expires, or
July 1, 2009, which ever occurs first.
(7) Any person owning, possessing, harboring or having custody and
control of a cat or dog in violation of
Subsection (b) shall be given a notice to
comply, and information regarding free and subsidized spay and neuter services
If the violation is not corrected within 60 days, it shall be deemed a second
violation and the person shall pay a civil
penalty in the amount of $100.00 or shall
be allowed to perform eight hours of community service. The person must still
spay or neuter the dog or cat. Failure to pay the civil penalty or perform the
community service and/or failure to comply with the spay or neuter requirements
of this section within the 60 day period, or any
extension of that period permitted
by the Department, shall be deemed a third violation. The Department shall
impose a civil penalty in the amount of $500.00 or allow the person to perform
forty hours of community service, in addition to
spaying or neutering the dog or
cat.
After July 1, 2009, if after sixty days from the
date of notification of a third
violation, the $500.00 civil penalty is not paid
or the forty hours of community
service is not performed and/or the owner still has not spayed/neutered his/her
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dog(s) or cat(s) as required under Subsection (b)
above, the continuing violation
of this section may also be deemed a misdemeanor.
(8) There is hereby established an Animal Services Spay/Neuter Advisory
Committee (Committee) for the purpose of advising the Board of Animal Services
Commissioners on the impact of the City's
spay/neuter policies on the City's low
income residents. The Committee shall seek regular and systematic input on its
recommendations, especially from low income residents.
A. The membership of the Committee shall consist of fifteen persons
appointed by the City Council, with each Council member appointing one
person to the Committee.
B. The General Manager of the Department, or their designee, shall
serve as a non-voting Secretary of the Committee.
C. The Committee shall select one of its members to be the chair of
the Committee. The chair will also be the conduit between the Committee
and the Commission, and if needed, with the Mayor and the City CounciL.
D. All proceedings of the Committee shall be subject to the provisions
of the California Government Code Section 54950, et seq., as amended
(Brown Act).
E. The Committee shall meet as frequently as necessary but at least
four times during the year. The meetings of the Committee may be
conducted by teleconference as provided in the Brown Act.
F. The members of the Committee shall serve without compensation,
including any travel or per diem expenses.
G. The Committee shall complete its work and dissolve by June 30,
2009.
H. The Committee shall do the following:
(1 ì Review the impact of the spay/neuter policies on the City's low
income residents.
(2) Review the number of animals spayed/neutered, total
exemptions provided, the waiting list if any for the spay/neuter
services, the amount and timing of committed funding, and
recommendations for legislative and administrative action needed to
ensure that funding is allocated promptly to qualified providers of the
spay/neuter programs.
(3) Review the quality of services and accountability measures.
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(4) Review challenges faced by the spay/neuter program that
impede the provision of best possible services.
(5) Make recommendations on any improvements and changes to
the spay/neuter program that will enhance its services and reduce the
financial burden of the program on residents in low income areas.
(6) Provide a preliminary written report containing an evaluation of
the program and any recommendations to the Commission, and
provide a copy to the Mayor and the City Council by March 15,2009,
and a final report by June 30, 2009.



From ADOA:

New Jersey:

Mandatory Spay/Neuter Reintroduced in New Jersey
Senator Van Drew has introduced Senate Bill 971, a bill which
threatens the rights of responsible dog owners in New Jersey. This
bill is a reintroduction of 2006's AB 3542. Fanciers, concerned dog
owners, and responsible breeders should immediately contact their
representatives in the New Jersey State Legislature, and the members
of the Senate Economic Growth Committee who will first hear this
bill, and express their vehement opposition to this bill.

The bill would require that before a dog could be released from any
shelter or pound it must be sterilized, unless the owner can provide
documentation of the following:
that the dog "has been shown" within the last 12 months; or
that the owner is a "professional licensed breeder registered with
the American Kennel Club"; or
a licensed veterinarian has determined that sterilization would be
detrimental to the dog's health.
Sterilization is required for all dogs impounded, even if it is the
first time the dog has been detained.

The majority of purebred dogs never compete in AKC events and would
not be eligible for this exemption. Further, the American Kennel Club
does not license breeders. Therefore, this bill creates conditions
that the vast majority of responsible dog owners cannot possibly
meet.

The American Kennel Club opposes the concept of breeding permits,
breeding bans, or the mandatory spay/neuter of purebred dogs.
Instead, we support reasonable and enforceable laws that protect the
welfare and health of purebred dogs and do not restrict the rights of
breeders and owners who take their responsibilities seriously.
Additionally, we strongly support and actively promote a wide range
of programs to educate the public about responsible breeding
practices and the responsibilities of dog ownership.


WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Contact the members of the NJ Senate Economic Growth Committee. Urge
them to oppose SB 971.

Senator Raymond Lesniak - Chair
985 Stuyvesant Avenue
Union, NJ 07083
(908)-624-0880

Senator Sandra Cunningham
1738 Kennedy Boulevard
Jersey City, NJ 07305
(201)-451-5100

Senator Joseph Kyrillos, Jr.
One Arin Park Building
Suite 303
1715 Highway 35
Middleton, NJ 07748
(732)-671-3206

Senator Steven Oroho
Post Office Box 249
25 Route 23 South
Franklin, NJ 07416
(973)-827-2900

227 Route 206
Bldg. 1
1st Floor
Flanders, NJ 07836
(973)-584-4670

[moondog]

There are so many ways for responsible dog owners to be eligible for exemption, I honestly don't see what the problem is.....is everyone worried about a slippery slope, is that it?

If you show your dog, if you train your dog, if your vet says the dog would be better served if neutered/spayed at a later date, etc. etc., then you can qualify for the exemption. Seems to me the only owners that can't meet one of those requirements would be those who should spay/neuter in any case.

[cerulean]

Moondog's words make good sense to me....

[TrinaJ]

I dont see any problem with this. Dogs should be trained and registered. Also why wouldn't you spay or neuter your dog if it wasn't a dog you'd breed? We only want to breed our dogs to better the breed. This would help stop BYB's in my opinion.