Here's all about:
AB 1634 (The Healthy Pets Act)
This issue was presented to LANCC by Charlotte Laws of LANCC and Ed Boks of Animal Services and they are willing to speak or find speakers for your NC should it deiced to consider this issue. Here is their presentation on this issue and a copy of a suggested letter should your NC decide to support this bill. Some delegates felt this bill may be too restrictive, no one has submitted anything in writing to be distributed.
Brady Westwater
bradywestwater@gmail.com
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Please ask your Neighborhood Council to support AB 1634.
Please fax a letter ASAP to Assemblyman Lloyd Levine's office at (916) 319-2140 and also let me know if your council has voted to support this important legislation. My email address is drlaws@roadrunner.com and my phone number is (818) 346-5280.
Thanks
Charlotte Laws
drlaws@roadrunner.com
Member of the Greater Valley Glen Council
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AB 1634 (The Healthy Pets Act)
aims to end the needless killing of shelter animals
and to reduce the current high cost to taxpayers.
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Statistics:
840,000 animals were taken into public animal shelters in 2005 and 430,000 of these animals were killed. It costs taxpayers $250 million per year to house and kill shelter animals
Over a 10-year period, 8.9 million animals are taken into animal shelters and 5.3 million are killed at a cost to the taxpayer of $2.75 billion.
It takes 2 – 3 employees to euthanize one animal.
One dollar spent in spay/neuter translates into an $18.72 savings in future animal control costs.
The Opponents?
Breeders are the well-funded opponents of this bill. A breeder may, for example, sell animals out of his home for $2000 each.
Breeders want to be able to continue to sell their product (animals) without obtaining a license. When AB 1634 passes, they will be required to pay their fair share of taxes like any other business.
The other opponent to this are some libertarians who feels government should not tell people what to do. I personally agree with this sentiment in most cases, but feel the deaths of thousands of animals and the financial burden to taxpayers is worth a little government intervention.
These are some organizations/groups/individuals who support this bill:
Los Angeles City Council
Governor Schwarzenegger
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa
Los Angeles Department of Animal Services
California Veterinary Medical Association
California Animal Control Directors Association
State Humane Association of California
A more complete list of the numerous supporters can be found at www.CAHealthypets.com |
What the California Healthy Pets Act Would Do
The California Healthy Pets Act (AB 1634) would require the spaying and neutering of most cats and dogs by the time the pet is four months old (extensions are available with a letter from a vet). It is authored and was introduced by Assemblymember Lloyd Levine.
Pet owners who have not spayed or neutered their pet would be cited and given time to spay or neuter their pets before a fine would be assessed.
Local animal control agencies would be responsible for enforcing the California Healthy Pets Act. A portion of the fines collected would be used to expand the availability of free or low-cost spay or neuter programs and other outreach efforts. Free and low cost spay/neuter programs (i.e. $30 per animal) will continue to be available, as they are now.
The California Healthy Pets Act exempts: The following animals will not have to be fixed:
Dogs who work as guide dogs, service dogs, or signal dogs
Dogs who are used by law enforcement agencies for law enforcement or rescue activities
Dogs and cats whose veterinarian determines that due to age, poor health, or illness it is unsafe to spay or neuter them
Non-resident show dogs and dogs brought into the state for exhibition
Purebred dogs and cats whose owners obtain a permit |
Healthier pets
Medical research shows that spayed or neutered cats and dogs live longer and healthier lives. The American Veterinary Medical Association recommends early spaying and neutering because younger animals recover faster and with less pain.
Spaying and neutering also protects and improves the health of California's pets by reducing or eliminating many health problems that are difficult and expensive to treat, such as cancer, tumors, hernias, infections and other life-threatening diseases.
The California Healthy Pets Act will help Californians become more educated pet owners, which will help improve the health and well-being of their animals. In addition, the bill would increase the number of cats and dogs adopted into permanent homes by reducing the number of diseased cats and dogs that enter shelters and harm otherwise healthy and adoptable pets.
Safer Communities
Mandatory spaying and neutering will reduce the dangers caused by roaming stray animals, the transmission of rabies, and injuries from dog bites. Unaltered dogs are three times more likely to attack humans and other pets.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, California currently has the nation's highest occurrences of dog bites, animal attacks and attack-related fatalities in the nation -- and children are the most common victims.
A short video about AB 1634 can be seen at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVZInUxNr1c
The updated text of the bill can be found at this link http://cahealthypets.com/pdf/AB%201634%20_as%20amended%204-30-07_%20redlined%20May%202%202007%20version%20B%20_2_.pdf
More information can be found at www.Cahealthypets.com
Here's a suggested letter to the State Assembly:
AB 1634 (The Healthy Pets Act)
Dear California State Assembly,
Thank you for your hard work in making Los Angeles a leader in humane legislation.
We, the ____________ Neighborhood Council, are pleased to offer our support for AB 1634, the California Healthy Pets Act of 2007, and we ask that you also support this important legislation.
This mandatory spay / neuter bill--which is supported by Mayor Villaraigosa, the Los Angeles City Council, Governor Schwarzenegger and the California Veterinarians Association--will ensure that companion animals are able to lead healthier lives. Research has shown that altered animals live longer. A significant number of illnesses--such as cancer, tumors and hernias--are reduced by spaying and neutering.
In addition, California communities will be safer because altered animals roam less and try to escape less frequently. This means a reduction in dog bites.
AB 1634 means taxpayer savings. In fact, every dollar spent on spay / neuter saves $18.72 in tax dollars. Thousands of abandoned cats and dogs are killed in public shelters each month. It can cost $100 - $250 to house, feed and kill one animal. This translates into a statewide expense of $250 million, which can be eliminated by the implementation of AB 1634.
Spay / neuter is a cost effective way to reduce the state's animal shelter population; this will leave more funds available for infrastructure, education and other community needs.
Most important, we want to end the killing of the half a million animals who die in shelters each year.
AB 1634 will benefit our great state. Thank you again and please support AB 1634.
Sincerely,
The ________________ Neighborhood Council |
