Pet Sterilization - It's the Law in LA!

On Tuesday, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa signed one of the nation's toughest laws on pet sterilization. The new law requires dogs and cats to be spayed or neutered by the time they are 4 months old. I hope you enjoy this post, this is a wonderful sign that our country is headed in the right direction as far as getting the unwanted animal population under control!

Exempt from the new laws are animals that have competed in shows or sporting competitions, guide dogs, animals used by the police, and animals owned by professional breeders. Pet owners will also be exempt from the law if they pay a $100 fee, purchase a license, and have their pet microchipped. This law is a huge step for this country - so many animals are dropped off every single day at shelters and spaying and neutering the pet population will help us get the numbers under control!

The average pet owner must have their pet spayed or neutered by the time they are 4 months old. The age can be extended to 6 months with a letter from a veterinarian. Owners of older animals as well as those new to the city will have to obey the law and will be required to have their pet spayed or neutered.

The punishment for breaking the sterilization law is as follows:

• First offense: Information on subsidized sterilization services are distributed to the offender and they are given an additional 60 days.
• Second offense: Could be fined $100 and be ordered to serve 8 hours of community service.
• Third offense: Could be fined $500 and serve 40 hours of community service.

Common around the country is the requirement of shelters and adoption centers to spay or neuter the animals before they are adopted. New York City also requires animals purchased from pet shops to be sterilized. It is rare to see such a strict law enacted. Perhaps this is a step in the right direction for the whole country. If we can get cities to follow the lead of Los Angeles, the unwanted pet population in this country would be drastically reduced.

Here is a brief look at the numbers in Los Angeles alone:

• Los Angeles animal shelters too in 50,000 cats and dogs last year

• 15,000 of the animals they took in were euthanized

• It cost the city an estimated $2,000,000 to euthanize the unwanted animals

In attendance at the news conference was "Price is Right" game show host Bob Barker. You may remember him ending every single episode of the show with the phrase:

"Help control the pet population, have your pet spayed or neutered!"

The law will take effect in mid-April and city leaders are saying it will reduce the number of animals in shelters and the number that are euthanized by 50%. This has got to be one of the best pieces of news I have heard about recently. Imagine all the shelters across the country being no-kill? Wouldn't that be wonderful? It will be interesting to watch Los Angeles and see what effects this law has on its citizens (both human and animal) and keep your ears open, this law - or a similar one - could be headed to your town.

I would like to know what you think about this law. Do you think it is helpful or just a waste of time? What do you see as advantages and disadvantages of the law?