Despite months of strong opposition from countless responsible California dog owners and a host of animal organizations including the American Kennel Club, the Sacramento Council of Dog Clubs and The Animal Council, Governor Schwarzenegger signed SB861 into law on Friday, October 7th. The legislation takes effect January 1st, and several municipalities have already indicated their intent to move forward with mandatory spay/neuter requirements for certain breeds. We encourage all dog owners to remain vigilant for these types of proposals and to begin preparing grassroots opposition campaigns now. Preparation should include development of reasonable dangerous dog legislation as that can be offered as an alternative to breed-specific ordinances. Should a discriminatory measure be introduced in your community, please contact the AKC's Canine Legislation department (doglaw@akc.org) for assistance.
The final text of SB861 can be found here.
Many thanks to everyone who took the time to contact their elected officials, in many cases more than once, in opposition to this misguided bill.
For additional background information about SB861, please visit our Legislative Alerts.
Despite months of strong opposition from countless responsible California dog owners and a host of…