(Schwarzenegger) reverses stand on shelters, reinstates waiting period

[CShine]

SACRAMENTO – Saying he made a mistake months ago that would have made it easier for shelters to kill stray dogs and cats, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Friday he has reinstated the state's six-day waiting period before lost animals could be killed. As part of his budget proposal that was first drafted in December, the governor had asked the Legislature to repeal a 1998 law that requires the shelters to hold animals up to six days before destroying them. The governor wanted to save money bu cutting the waiting period in half. But after a nationwide storm of protest, the governor hastily organized a press conference outside his Capitol office and told reporters of his error.

"I realized last night that there was a mistake that I made on the budget," he explained, noting he only had a few weeks to put his proposed budget together between his inauguration in November and when the document went to the printers in December to meet the Jan. 10 deadline for delivery a spending plan to the Legislature.

The idea to cut the waiting period would have saved local governments that operate the shelters $14 million, according to the governor's office. Statewide, an estimated 600,000 dogs and cats are put to death each year, including 34,000 in Los Angeles alone. In addition to cats and dogs, the shelters also care for many other animals including birds, hamsters, potbellied pigs, rabbits, snakes and turtles.

H.D. Palmer, a spokesman for the state Department of Finance, had said the six-day waiting period caused overcrowding and forced some shelters to kill off animals.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20040625-1629-ca-animalshelters.html

[patdem]

1. H.D. Palmer's logic is we have to kill them so we don't have to kill them?

n/t

[henslee]

2. Arnie wised up pretty quick-- u dont want to p.o. pet-people.

I swear, everyone i know is into animal rescue....As stated many times at DU, there are many better ways to tackle this problem.... register breeders, enforce dog licenses, aggressive spaying programs....

[Toucano]

3. Oh, my! The flip...

and the flop!

I thought we needed strong, omniscient leaders who never had to reconsider a position. Isn't that what repubs preach?

Thanks Gropey for coming to your senses!

[SaveElmer]

6. Gotta give him credit though

When he realized he was wrong he admitted it pretty quick...more than can be said for the pretender in the White House!!!

[Neshanic]

4. I zink the killing of the little animal and the other zings no so good.

[allalone]

5. talk about political suicide

piss off the pet people (I am one)

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

7. Man he had a way easier time fucking injured workers and disabled folks

wonder what that says about all of us :freak: :shrug:

[demoman123]

8. Because these are Our National Values:

You can do anything you want to people, but you can't be mean to doggies and kitties.

[Disturbed]

9. Pets are cool. People aint?

Anywayz, the Gropenator admitts that he is human and m,akes mistakes. That's a nice. ;) He still won't get my vote as he didn't the 1st time.

[savistocate]

10. Most erroneous

mistaken contorted conclusion, that protection and caring of animals excludes negates equal compassionate value__& action__for humans. Of most RWers it can be observed so, but not society in general.

[shanti]

13. you actually voted for that prick?

*shaking my head*

WHY??????

[Piperay]

14. I think you misread..

he said "He still won't get my vote as he DIDN'T the 1st time."

[shanti]

16. sorry, my bad!!!

guess i had a "senior moment", lol! my negative feelings about the gropenator sometimes overrule.

[jdj]

17. Like hell you can't.

Watched animal cops today on animal planet. Let's see, there was a horse with a broken leg untreated, a horse that had been ridden so hard that everywhere riding gear touched his body, including the bit in his mouth, was open and raw, an emaciated abandoned dog covered in mange, two dogs so starved they could not even stand, and a dog with a metal chain embedded in his neck so far that skin had grown over it and it had to be removed surgically, a condition which takes months to get that bad. They probably find only 3 to 5 percent of the cruelty cases, and that is a generous estimate.

Having worked in a shelter I am confused at how the waiting period change would have helped. Euthanaisia solution, (or gas) is expensive, as are disposal fees; with a shorter waiting period they would be doing more killing, not less. What they need to do to save money is offer free spaying and neutering, and charge at least $100 license fees to owners of unaltered pets, at least within the city limits. I'm also a fan of making breeders commit a week to euthanizing in shelters once a year as part of being granted a license to sell animals.

It gripes me when people imply that people who care about animals don't care about people, when the truth as I have experienced it in my life is that people who care are compassionate across the board, and then there are people who bitch about other people's compassion, but don't give a crap about anyone or anything but themselves.

[Endangered Specie]

11. Mr. Gropenfuhrer goes to Waffle House

[spooky3]

15. I'll take a waffler any day over someone who refuses to correct an error.

[GaryL]

12. Are republicans trying to corner the market on stupid moves?

This has to be one of the all time worst! Hey Aronld, how about a new form a California recreation. Public puppy pummeling!!!

[struggle4progress]

18. Is Schwarzenegger losing the war on terriers? eom

[Enraged_Ape]

19. HA!! The animal people chewed his balls off!! I knew they would!!

You can get away with a lot of terrible shit in this country. Hell, you can get 900 American soldiers killed in a godforsaken war in the Middle East and the hoi polloi won't lift a finger. But don't you EVER piss off the animal people. They will OWN your ass.