Healthy Pets Act Passes Assembly - mandate spaying and neutering for pets

[The Straight Story]

Healthy Pets Act Passes Assembly
Written by Jason Kobely, Internet News Producer

By the slimmest of margins, a controversial bill that would require California dog and cat owners to spay or neuter their animals passed the state Assembly Wednesday.

The California Healthy Pets Act, which would mandate spaying and neutering for pets within four months of their birth, passed by a 41-38 majority in the State Assembly late Wednesday evening.

AB 1634, authored by Assemblyman Lloyd Levine, D-Van Nuys, needed 41 votes to pass. The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.

The passage was the result of a late afternoon push by Democrats. Earlier Wednesday, the Assembly voted 37 to 34 in favor of the legislation while lawmakers put the bill "on call" while they secured additional votes.

http://www.news10.net/display_story.aspx?storyid=28787

[napi21]

1. What exactly does this bill say?

I'm a volunteer for a dog rescue group, so don't misunderstand my concern hee, but how does this bill separate ligitimate dog breeders from anyone who has a dog or cat?

[The Straight Story]

2. All I have gleaned so far was this last paragraph on it:

Certain registered breeders and service dog users could get an "intact permit" which would exempt their animals from being spayed or neutered. But the permits would have fee attached, the amount established by local animal control agencies. Violators of the proposed law would be subject to a $500 fine.

[barb162]

3. I'll bet there's an amendment for breeders

[shance]

9. Not such a great bill. Great for profiteers and breeders. Not good for owner choice and rights.

It could and will severely affect the overall rights of four legged friend owners and be a boon for breeders, who have largely been behind this bill.

We should always keep in mind when legislation is being passed - WHO IS BEHIND IT and who will PROFIT?

Not a good thing, if people would actually critically think and realize what it actually means.

Somethings that look great on the outside are merely Trojan horses.

[candice]

4. I have had all of my cats neutered, but 4 months is rather early

...for a male cat IMO. The ones I have had are indoors and get fixed at 36 weeks. I know that the irresponsible can't be separated from the responsible, but I'm not sure that I'll get another animal as a pet that has to be neutered so young. There's some dispute as to the adverse health risks of so early neutering. Rescue groups insist on doing it as early as possible to prevent unwanted pets. Too bad I can't put a deposit down and get it back when I have an indoor pet who has no chance of reproducing neutered at a slightly later age.

[LisaL]

15. Well, my vet wouldn't even neuter my cats until they were 6

months old. I wonder if those behind the bill thought of that.
WTF?
How are people supposed to neuter their animals if vets won't do it?

[aquart]

5. Four months? Who wrote that stupid thing?

I don't want them neutered before six months.

[napi21]

8. I hear ya, but let me tell you a story about my cat Garfield.

Our old cat Midnight died at age 19. After about a month or so, my husbad said, lets get another cat. We went to the local shelter since I know there are always so many unwanted pets there. I was looking at a darling 4 year old Hymalian, he was sooo beautiful, when I hear my husband saying "Here's the one! I want THIS ONE!" I turned around to find a very small ornage kitten hanging from the roof of his cage by his paws and loudly meowing! Being the cave in person that I am, I said fine. We went to the caretaker and told them which pet we wanted. First the guy saud "OH, you want the crazy one!" I grenned a bit and said yes. He said we couldn't have that kitten tonight because SC law demanded that all pets be neutered before adoption. I couldn't believe it! HE had told me this kitten was only 8 week old! I said "YOU CAN'T DO THAT! HE'S TOO YOUNG!" It turns out he was the shelter vet, and he said he's done it over a thousand times and it's always just fine. Well, Garfield is 19 1/2 today, and still doing crazy things and is still a happy healthy cat!

I still don't recomment it, but from experience, it didn't cause any problems with my cat!

[aquart]

10. Shelters are doing it all over and it sucks. Don't trust you to come back

for neutering.

When they do the cat genome, they're going to find the insane gene in the same place as red fur color.

[The Straight Story]

11. My wife has red fur and no insane gene :)

Maybe a crazy gene though, for putting up with me ;)

[napi21]

13. WHAT? Insane gene? I didn't mean to imply the cat is insane!

He's a happy go lucky kitty who is independent (like most are0, and still at age 19 1/2 still brings home the occasional mouse, snake or squirrel...usually dead thank God!

He's slim, trim and other than being a very talkative little PIA, quite a good cat!

He's definately NOT INSANE!

[Ayesha]

6. I have some problems with this bill

and really hope it does not pass, though initially I was supportive. First of all, 4 months is too young to spay/neuter no matter what some people say. It is safe to do the surgery in terms of anesthesia and recovery, but there is the potential for long-term problems especially joint difficulties and bone cancer in big dogs. I have 5 dogs, all but one came from the pound. 4 of them were over 6 months old when they were fixed, and all are healthy. However, my Aussie mix who was spayed at 4 months has a rare form of autoimmune joint disease. She is not even 4 years old and walks and acts like an elderly dog. She became aggressive with the other dogs due to her pain and has to be separated from most of them, possibly for the rest of her life. She's on steroids and will be for months. I pray they will work. I can't know for sure, but I believe her being spayed very young caused or contributed to her problems.

Another problem with this law is that it hurts responsible breeders and owners more. The real problem people will just ignore the law. Without funding to pay for free or low cost s/n services many people who want to comply won't be able to do so.

There are many other solutions to the pet overpopulation problem that I believe would be more effective, such as:

-Offer free and very low-cost spay and neuter services
-In combination with the above, charging $1000 per year to register any unaltered dog or cat over 1 year old that does not meet certain requirements, basically health reasons, purebred and involved with shows or performance events, or a working dog, police dog, or service dog. Make the fine for non-compliance $5000, and offer a $500 reward to anyone who reports a violator.
-$1000+ fines for allowing unfixed pets to roam, especially cats.
-Require all persons turning their owned animals into the pound to watch a video of a healthy, adoptable pet being euthanized due to lack of space, before leaving their animal. Also, offer resources to help them keep their pet or find a home, and require that they read them or watch a video with the info. I predict shelter intakes will drop drastically. People don't realize what goes on in shelters, or they think it won't happen to their pet. We can show them otherwise, and save lives and money.
-Offer landlords a tax credit for allowing pets. Increase the credit if they allow large dogs and pit bulls.
-Ban pet stores from selling dogs and cats, or tax them VERY heavily, or require that they microchip all their "merchandise" and pay a fine for every animal that ends up at the pound. Offer them a tax credit to have shelter pets for adoption instead.

All of these methods would save a lot of lives while still allowing people the choice to alter their dogs after puberty, and own or breed unaltered animals if they are willing to accept the responsibility that goes with it.

[Longhorn]

7. I'd love to see you join us over in the Pets Group!

I have five dogs, too, and can use some advice from time to time! :hi:

[bbgrunt]

12. I don't like the sounds of this. It is too much like mandatory

abortions in China. Soon, the only stock of pets will be a very narrow strain supported by breeders--or totally feral animals--not a good prognosis for great pets.

[TahitiNut]

14. I owned an AKC Labrador who was never neutered ... and I wouldn't do it.

He was used for stud once and I might've done it more often - he was a terrific dog. He was NEVER allowed around any bitch in heat - or even close - except for the time I loaned him for stud. His temperament was extraordinary and he lived to the age of twelve - which isn't that bad.

[Hidden Stillness]

16. It May Work, and Something Needs to be Done

I don't know how this bill will play itself out or be implemented, but I support the effort to do something about the millions of unwanted, abandoned animals, caused by stupid "owners" who will not spay or neuter, then let their animals run free, or discard them when they are no longer "cute," or when they incur actual expenses. The usual approach of Humane Societies, ASPCAs, and other cruelty investigators, is that they are trying to help the situation and work with the "owner," so the approach would probably not be punitive, but guiding them to resources available, the reasons why spaying and neutering are good for the general stray problem, for their health, etc., and educating them. One of the worst parts of the problem is that so many humans are neurotic and ignorant, and will not deal with the problem because of their own ignorant attitudes.

Many modern shelters spay or neuter animals before you can pick them up for adoption, and I support that. People will lie and tell you they are going to do it, then don't, so the shelter just handles it first--shocking that humans lie, I know.

Something has to be done about the National tragedy of roving packs of abandoned, neglected dogs, who would never have been born, if only the pets who ran away, for example, had been spayed/neutered. This may or may not work, but some kind of step has to be taken and tried, or things will never be solved. The alternative is the increasing tragedy of homeless animals.