Groundbreaking legislation in a California city enforces spay neuter of dogs and cats

Today, Wednesday August 31, I share an article from a small paper in California, published just twice per week, The Clearlake Observer-American. It announces groundbreaking legislation. The article headed, "City council passes spay/neuter ordinance" tells us:

"The ordinance adds a section to the city's current code establishing mandatory spaying/neutering of dogs and cats in Clearlake....The addition to the city's current code mandates spaying/neutering of dogs and cats by 4 months of age. The section includes exceptions for animals meeting specific criteria. Among the list of exceptions are dogs used and trained specifically as service companions such as guide dogs, therapy dogs, law enforcement canines, dogs used for hunting and others trained to assist. Licensed and certified purebred canine and feline breeding stock can also gain exceptions, as can show animals."

We learn from Leslie Woods, president of Clear Lake Animal Welfare Society (CLAWS) that "Lake County has the highest per capita euthanasia rate in California."

And we read that during the hearing, "Officer Morgan Nelson invited the public to join her at the county shelter in Lakeport where she loads dead animals into barrels each day."

You can read the whole article on line at: http://www.clearlakeobserver.com/Stories/0,1413,254~26916~3034159,00.html

The Clear Lake Observer-American belongs to the Lake and Mendocino Newspaper Group (LMNG), which includes the Lake County Record-Bee. The Record Bee is also running the story today. It is on that daily paper's website at:
http://www.record-bee.com/Stories/0,1413,255~26901~3034099,00.html

On August 6 the Lake County Record bee ran an editorial (the paper's official editorial opinion) urging the Clearlake city council to adopt the ordinance. It said, "Animal overpopulation is a huge problem here in Lake County, where 64 percent of animals impounded are euthanized. So we were appalled that last week the Clearlake City Council refused to accept the ordinance...The right to have an animal does not mean one has the right to not vaccinate it, allow it to attack other dogs and people, give birth to unwanted offspring or otherwise not care for it. You can't legislate common sense, but you can create measures that will limit certain behaviors. This ordinance is meant to limit irresponsible pet ownership and, in so doing, promote the health and welfare of the county's animals. Besides, there is a lengthy list of exemptions to the spay/neuter requirement that, if warranted, would allow service dogs, purebreds and other specific animals to opt out."

You can read that wonderful August 6 piece on line at: http://www.record-bee.com/Stories/0,1413,255~33982~2998713,00.html

Many cities in the USA have spay-neuter laws for shelter animals but I know of no others that have passed this sweeping legislation. (I would love to hear otherwise if you know of any.) It should serve as a blueprint for other US cities. The Record Bee deserves acknowledgment for its stance and the city of Clearlake deserves congratulations from everywhere for enacting legislation desperately needed in most cities.

The Lake County Record Bee takes letters at: editorial [at] record-bee.com The Clearlake Observer takes letters at news [at] clearlakeobserver.com

Always include your full name, address, and daytime phone number when sending a letter to the editor.


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