May 8 UPDATE: Tuesday, May 6 the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors decided to table the mandatory spay/neuter proposals and instead form a task force to examine the issue of shelter population. Thank you every one who attended the meeting and a special thank you to those who spoke in opposition to the mandatory spay/neuter proposal.
The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors will be hearing the proposed mandatory spay/neuter ordinance on Tuesday, May 6 at 9AM in the County Administration Building, Board Hearing Room. The Board of Supervisors will be receiving a report from the Public Health Department-Animal Services and make recommendations for further action. The public will be given the opportunity to comment on the proposal. Please attend and voice your opposition to mandatory spay/neuter.
This proposed ordinance mandates that all dogs over 6 months of age be spayed or neutered unless the owner obtains an unaltered dog license. In order to obtain an unaltered dog license the owner must meet one of the following conditions:
- a veterinarian's written determination that the animal should not be subject to the procedure due to age or health;
- proof that the dog is registered with the American Kennel Club, United Kennel Club, or American Dog Breeders Association; or
- proof that the dog is living or working on agricultural land.
The proposed ordinance also includes rules for breeding. These rules include:
- limits on litters to one per female per year, unless the owner provides a letter of permission from a veterinarian in advance of breeding.
- breeders would be required to keep all records for a minimum of three years.
- breeders would be required to provide a copy of the ordinance to all purchasers.
Unaltered dog licenses could be revoked if the Director of Animal Services believes that any provision of the license has been violated or if the owner refuses to allow inspection of the dog and the premises on which the dog is kept. The unaltered license fee is not changed by this proposal, but does include an additional surcharge of $10 per licenses. Failure to comply with this ordinance could result in a minimum fine of $100 on the first violation, $200 for the second violation, and $500 for the third and subsequent violations.
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 regulations. 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 also provide a support system to new owners; assisting them with housebreaking, training questions, behavior issues and basic new puppy care inquiries.
Mandatory spay/neuter is an ineffective solution to animal control problems because it fails to address the heart of the issue—irresponsible ownership. Mandatory spay/neuter laws are extremely difficult to enforce and can be evaded by irresponsible animal owners by not licensing their pets. More regulations increase the workload of already financially strained animal control offices, making it even more difficult for them to perform their duties.
The AKC believes the answer to population issues is strict enforcement of leash and nuisance laws, rather than passage of new burdensome regulation. The key to resolving this issue is to implement and expand the wide range of programs available to educate the public about responsible breeding and animal ownership practices.
If you are unable to attend this meeting, please contact the Board of Supervisors and express your concerns about mandatory spay/neuter regulations.
1st District: Salud Carbajal, Chair
Phone: (805) 568-2186
Fax: (805) 568-2534
E-mail: SupervisorCarbajal@sbcbos1.org
Website: http://www.countyofsb.org/salud-carbajal
2nd District: Janet Wolf
Phone: (805) 568-2191
Fax: (805) 568-2283
E-mail: jwolf@sbcbos2.org
Website: http://www.countyofsb.org/Janet-Wolf
3rd District: Brooks Firestone
Phone: (805) 568-2192
Fax: (805) 568-2883
Solvang: (805) 686-5095
Fax: (805) 686-8133
E-mail: bfirestone@co.santa-barbara.ca.us
Website: http://www.countyofsb.org/brooks-firestone
4th District: Joni Gray
Lompoc: (805) 737-7700
Santa Maria: (805) 346-8407
E-mail: jgray@co.santa-barbara.ca.us
Website: http://www.countyofsb.org/Joni-Gray/
5th District: Joseph Centeno, Vice Chair
Santa Maria: (805) 346-8400
Fax: (805) 346-8404
E-mail: jcenteno@co.santa-barbara.ca.us
Website: http://www.countyofsb.org/Joseph-Centeno
Santa Barbara Co. to Hear MSN Proposal Tuesday, May 6
[Tuesday, April 29, 2008]
The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors will be hearing the proposed mandatory spay/neuter ordinance on Tuesday, May 6 at 9AM in the County Administration Building, Board Hearing Room. The Board of Supervisors will be receiving a report from the Public Health Department-Animal Services and make recommendations for further action. The public will be given the opportunity to comment on the proposal. Please attend and voice your opposition to mandatory spay/neuter.
This proposed ordinance mandates that all dogs over 6 months of age be spayed or neutered unless the owner obtains an unaltered dog license. In order to obtain an unaltered dog license the owner must meet one of the following conditions:
- a veterinarian’s written determination that the animal should not be subject to the procedure due to age or health;
- proof that the dog is registered with the American Kennel Club, United Kennel Club, or American Dog Breeders Association; or
- proof that the dog is living or working on agricultural land.
The proposed ordinance also includes rules for breeding. These rules include:
- limits on litters to one per female per year, unless the owner provides a letter of permission from a veterinarian in advance of breeding.
- breeders would be required to keep all records for a minimum of three years.
- breeders would be required to provide a copy of the ordinance to all purchasers.
Unaltered dog licenses could be revoked if the Director of Animal Services believes that any provision of the license has been violated or if the owner refuses to allow inspection of the dog and the premises on which the dog is kept. The unaltered license fee is not changed by this proposal, but does include an additional surcharge of $10 per licenses. Failure to comply with this ordinance could result in a minimum fine of $100 on the first violation, $200 for the second violation, and $500 for the third and subsequent violations.
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 regulations. 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 also provide a support system to new owners; assisting them with housebreaking, training questions, behavior issues and basic new puppy care inquiries.
Mandatory spay/neuter is an ineffective solution to animal control problems because it fails to address the heart of the issue—irresponsible ownership. Mandatory spay/neuter laws are extremely difficult to enforce and can be evaded by irresponsible animal owners by not licensing their pets. More regulations increase the workload of already financially strained animal control offices, making it even more difficult for them to perform their duties.
The AKC believes the answer to population issues is strict enforcement of leash and nuisance laws, rather than passage of new burdensome regulation. The key to resolving this issue is to implement and expand the wide range of programs available to educate the public about responsible breeding and animal ownership practices.
If you are unable to attend this meeting, please contact the Board of Supervisors and express your concerns about mandatory spay/neuter regulations.
1st District: Salud Carbajal, Chair
Phone: (805) 568-2186
Fax: (805) 568-2534
E-mail: SupervisorCarbajal@sbcbos1.org
Website: http://www.countyofsb.org/salud-carbajal
2nd District: Janet Wolf
Phone: (805) 568-2191
Fax: (805) 568-2283
E-mail: jwolf@sbcbos2.org
Website: http://www.countyofsb.org/Janet-Wolf
3rd District: Brooks Firestone
Phone: (805) 568-2192
Fax: (805) 568-2883
Solvang: (805) 686-5095
Fax: (805) 686-8133
E-mail: bfirestone@co.santa-barbara.ca.us
Website: http://www.countyofsb.org/brooks-firestone
4th District: Joni Gray
Lompoc: (805) 737-7700
Santa Maria: (805) 346-8407
E-mail: jgray@co.santa-barbara.ca.us
Website: http://www.countyofsb.org/Joni-Gray/
5th District: Joseph Centeno, Vice Chair
Santa Maria: (805) 346-8400
Fax: (805) 346-8404
E-mail: jcenteno@co.santa-barbara.ca.us
Website: http://www.countyofsb.org/Joseph-Centeno/
May 8 UPDATE: Tuesday, May 6 the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors decided to table the…