Humane Society rejects revised pet sterilization bill
12:01 AM PDT on Tuesday, July 1, 2008
By JULIE FARREN
The Press-Enterprise
The Humane Society of San Bernardino has withdrawn its support for Assembly Bill 1634, which has been amended to enforce mandatory spay or neuter of dogs and cats only if complaints have been filed against the animal.
Originally, AB 1634 would have required mandatory spaying or neutering of all animals by the time they are six months old in an effort to curb pet populations. The revised bill requires that dogs be fixed after three offenses and cats after two.
Susan Dawson, president of the Humane Society's board of directors, said the bill no longer addresses pet overpopulation.
"Essentially, the bill was changed in its entirety," Dawson said.
The revised bill was approved 3-2 on June 25 by the Assembly's Local Government Committee.
Assemblyman Lloyd Levine, D-Van Nuys, who co-wrote the revised bill with Sen. Gloria Negrete McLeod, D-Chino, said it will be heard by the Senate Appropriations Committee in several weeks.
If approved by the Legislature, the law would go into effect Jan. 1, 2009, Levine said.
Levine, who introduced the bill in February 2007, said the number of pets in shelters and being euthanized is a financial burden on the state.
"It costs California taxpayers $300 million on animal control services," Levine said in a phone interview Monday.
Levine and McLeod listened to various senators' recommendations and made changes. The bill now states that dog owners could be fined $50 for a first offense -- such as their pets roaming, biting or having no licenses -- $100 for a second, and mandatory spaying or neutering for a third offense.
Cat owners would pay $50 for a first offense, and the second offense would require mandatory spaying or neutering.
Reach Julie Farren at 909-806-3066 or jfarren@...
http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stor ... 39935.html
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