How to Get a Spay/Neuter Law Passed

Pet overpopulation and overcrowded shelters are an ongoing problem in the United States with about half of the estimated 8 to 12 million animals that enter shelters each year ending up euthanized. Aside from destroying innocent life, it is a burden on taxpayers.

Mandatory spay/neuter laws can conceivably put an end to the pet overpopulation crisis in our country by curtailing breeding among irresponsible pet owners, puppy mills and backyard breeders.

In February 2008, a groundbreaking universal spay/neuter ordinance passed in Los Angeles thanks to broad public support. The L.A. ordinance will save thousands of pets (see link in Resources below). Various other cities, counties and states already have spay/neuter laws in place that have proven successful—and with the support of enough citizens it can become a nationwide trend—so that one day we will no longer be a society that views family pets as disposable. Here are steps to advocating for a spay/neuter law in your city, county or state.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Persistence
• Determination
• Compassion for animals

1. Check if there is a spay/neuter law in your city, county or state. If not, find out the proper official to contact to show your support. For instance, call your city council regarding city legislation, your county supervisor for a county law, and the assemblymember from your district about introducing a statewide bill.

2. Ask friends, relatives and coworkers to join you in showing support by contacting their respective officials. They should live within the jurisdiction of any official they contact.

3. Check online to see if there are any spay/neuter petitions in place for your city, county or state and if so, sign them. A good place to start would be www.thepetitionsite.com or a website for an animal organization such as the Humane Society of the United States.

4. If you can't find a spay/neuter petition, start your own and gather signatures. Once you meet your goal you can present it to the proper political officials.

5. Attend any public hearings for spay/neuter legislation at city hall. If a statewide bill is going before the assembly, attend the first hearing at your state capital to show support. Your state's official website will have links to the city, county and state governments for hearing dates.

6. Purchase animal friendly license plates if your state offers them. The proceeds from the plates go toward low cost spay/neuter programs. The more citizens that show support for spaying/neutering, the better the chances of getting legislation passed.

7. Check voting records and vote for officials who are pro animal. Those who tend to vote pro animal are likely to support spay/neuter laws.

Tips & Warnings

• Spread the word about the health benefits of spaying and neutering to everyone you know with dogs and cats. Let them know it prevents breast cancer and uterine infections in females, and prevents testicular cancer, helps eliminate prostate problems and curbs aggression in males—which will make for a happier pet and human.

Resources

• California Healthy Pets Act

[choochoocherry]

on 3/19/2008 bobbic is a BREEDER.

Breeders hide their businesses and their incomes thank to lack of licensing.

Mandatory spay neuter means breeders have to get licensed.

So breeders oppose mandatory spay neuter with their usual empty propaganda because it means they may have to pay taxes, and admit they are running businesses!

They promote Nathan Winograd because Winograd got involved with breeder lobbies and in exchange for breeders like bobbic promoting his foundation and book, he opposes licensing for the breeders.

Nasty business.

(Laura Allen works for Best Friends, and Nathan has gotten Best Friends people hired at shelters he's been involved with.)

A nasty business.

[diggitydogg]

on 3/11/2008 MacDonald,
I didn't want to insinuate that you are an "exploiter" of animals. However, it always seems to be those who breed dogs and somehow profit from the breeding of dogs who are vocal about their opposition to spay/neuter laws, whereas those who work or volunteer in animal shelters, have to euthanize shelter dogs or who adopt/rescue dogs are always the ones in favor. Interesting. And, yes...spay/neuter laws have definitely worked for Los Angeles County municipalities which is why the City of Los Angeles just passed a mandatory spay/neuter ordinance. So you are incorrect in stating that these laws have NOT WORKED anywhere. They most certainly HAVE worked and that is why the nation's SECOND LARGEST city just followed suit.

[diggitydogg]

on 3/11/2008 Then you need to notify the City of Los Angeles. They just passed a mandatory spay/neuter law. They probably weren't as up on the research as you and other breeders/exploiters of animals.

[MacDonald]

on 3/11/2008 Mandatory s/n laws have NOT WORKED anywhere. They have been repealed in many municipalities because they INCREASE animal deaths and DECREASE funds for local shelters. The following links (hope they show up) have FACTS.
http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:iM_dJN8xSmUJ:www.ab1634.com/Files/ARE_MSN.pdf+results+of+mandatory+spay+neuter&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=15&gl=us&client=firefox-a

http://www.naiaonline.org/library/Appeasing_Animal_Rights_Activists.htm

[diggitydogg]

on 2/17/2008 In California (where I live), it costs more than $250 million to house, care for and euthanize dogs and cats in shelters each year, which in turn translates to higher taxes. How well meaning are those humans who continue to breed dogs when there are so many in shelters that are going to be destroyed? I don't think any more breeding should be done until homes are found for all the innocent animals that deserve another chance at life. It's a major crisis and there's really no room right now for utopian philosophy. Besides, mutts are just as loving and wonderful as purebred dogs (which shelters have about 1 in 4 as well). Thankfully, a mandatory spay/neuter law was just approved in Los Angeles...and if it can be done in the U.S.'s second largest city, it can be done anywhere.