The Dallas City Council will vote on the proposed changes to Dallas' animal control ordinance on Wednesday, June 25th, 9:00 A.M., at Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla Street, Dallas. These changes include mandatory spay/neuter, breeder permitting, and limits on the number of pets that can be owned. It is vitally important that Dallas-area responsible dog breeders and owners express their opposition via calls, mailed letters, and faxes, and attend the hearing to show opposition to this unreasonable ordinance proposal.
The American Kennel Club opposes the concepts of breeding permits, breedings bans, or the mandatory spay/neuter of purebred dogs. Instead, we support reasonable and enforceable laws that protect the health and welfare of purebred dogs and do not restrict the rights of breeders and owners who take their responsibilities seriously.
Unfortunately, the proposed draconian changes to Dallas' animal control ordinances conflict with the positions stated above. For example, the proposed changes would:
- Require Dallas dog owners to spay or neuter each dog they own. The AKC believes that mandatory spay/neuter is an ineffective solution to animal control problems because it fails to address the heart of animal control issues-irresponsible ownership. Mandatory spay/neuter laws are extremely difficult to enforce and can be evaded by irresponsible animal owners who do not license their pets. More laws, rules, and regulations increase the workload of already financially strained animal control offices, making it even more difficult for them to perform their duties.
- To keep a dog intact, breeders are required to purchase a $70 breeder permit for each intact dog every year. However, breeder licensing fees place an undue burden on responsible breeders and owners and fail to address irresponsible individuals who neither comply with existing law nor will comply with new laws. Such fees therefore punish responsible breeders who give the care and attention that puppies need in order to grow into healthy, well-adjusted companions and neighbors. Responsible local breeders encourage responsible dog ownership and should be viewed as assets to their communities and should not be subjected to punitive fees.
- Impose a limit on the number of pets owned to six dogs or cats (or combination of both) per dwelling. However, limit laws are easily evaded, difficult to enforce, and fail to address the actions of irresponsible owners. In the alternative to limit laws, effective enforcement of existing leash and curbing laws, rather than passage of burdensome new laws, will prevent pet owners from allowing their animals to run loose.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
First, it is imperative that all Dallas-area residents call and fax Mayor Tom Leppert and the members of the Dallas City Council (contact information below) to respectfully let them know that you OPPOSE the proposed changes to Dallas's animal ordinance.
Second, attend the Dallas City Council's meeting on Wednesday, June 25th (9:00 AM, at Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla Street, Dallas). Show–and, if allowed to testify, respectfully express–your opposition to the proposed ordinance change.
Mayor Tom Leppert
Dallas City Hall
1500 Marilla Street, Room 5EN
Dallas, TX 75201-6390
Phone: (214) 670-4054
Fax: (214) 670-0646
Tom.leppert@dallascityhall.com
Mayor Pro Tem Dr. Elba Garcia
Dallas City Hall
1500 Marilla Street, Room 5EN
Dallas, TX 75201-6390
Phone: (214) 670-4052
Fax: (214) 670-3409
Elba.garcia@dallascityhall.com
Councilmember Pauline Medrano
Dallas City Hall
1500 Marilla Street, Room 5FN
Dallas, TX 75201-6390
Phone: (214) 670-4048
Fax: (214) 670-5117
Pauline.medrano@dallascityhall.com
Councilmember David Neumann
Dallas City Hall
1500 Marilla Street, Room 5FS
Dallas, TX 75201-6390
Phone: (214) 670-0776
Fax: (214) 670-1833
David.neumann@dallascityhall.com
Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine
Caraway
Dallas City Hall
1500 Marilla Street, Room 5EN
Dallas, TX 75201-6390
Phone: (214) 670-0781
Fax: (214) 670-3409
Dwaine.caraway@dallascityhall.com
Councilmember Vonciel Jones Hill
Dallas City Hall
1500 Marilla Street, Room 5FN
Dallas, TX 75201-6390
Phone: (214) 670-0777
Fax: (214) 670-5117
Vonciel.hill@dallascityhall.com
Councilmember Steve Salazar
Dallas City Hall
1500 Marilla Street, Room 5FS
Dallas, TX 75201-6390
Phone: (214) 670-4199
Fax: (214) 670-5115
Steven.salazar@dallascityhall.com
Councilmember Carolyn Davis
Dallas City Hall
1500 Marilla Street, Room 5FS
Dallas, TX 75201-6390
Phone: (214) 670-4689
Fax: (214) 670-5115
Carolyn.davis@dallascityhall.com
Councilmember Tennell Atkins
Dallas City Hall
1500 Marilla Street, Room 5FS
Dallas, TX 75201-6390
Phone: (214) 670-4066
Fax: (214) 670-5115
Tennell.atkins@dallascityhall.com
Councilmember Sheffield Kadane
Dallas City Hall
1500 Marilla Street, Room 5FS
Dallas, TX 75201-6390
Phone: (214) 670-4069
Fax: (214) 670-5115
sheffield.kadane@dallascityhall.com
Councilmember Jerry Allen
Dallas City Hall
1500 Marilla Street, Room 5FS
Dallas, TX 75201-6390
Phone: (214) 670-4068
Fax: (214) 670-1843
Jerry.allen@dallascityhall.com
Councilmember Linda Koop
Dallas City Hall
1500 Marilla Street, Room 5FN
Dallas, TX 75201-6390
Phone: (214) 670-7817
Fax: (214) 670-5117
Debra.brown@dallascityhall.com
Councilmember Ron Natinsky
Dallas City Hall
1500 Marilla Street, Room 5FN
Dallas, TX 75201-6390
Phone: (214) 670-4067
Fax: (214) 670-5117
District12@dallascityhall.com
Councilmember Mitchell Rasansky
Dallas City Hall
1500 Marilla Street, Room 5FN
Dallas, TX 75201-6390
Phone: (214) 670-3816
Fax: (214) 670-5117
Mitchell.rasansky@dallascityhall.com
Councilmember Angela Hunt
Dallas City Hall
1500 Marilla Street, Room 5FN
Dallas, TX 75201-6390
Phone: (214) 670-5415
Fax: (214) 670-5117
Angela.hunt@dallascityhall.com
For more information, contact AKC's Government Relations Department at (919) 816-3720, or e-mail doglaw@akc.org; contact AKC's Texas Federation, the Responsible Pet Owners Alliance at rpoa@texas.net; or contact www.Dallasdogs.org.
The Dallas City Council will vote on the proposed changes to Dallas’ animal control ordinance on…