The American Kennel Club Government Relations Department learned today that the Warren County animal shelter director recommended that the county should revisit spay/neuter laws. Per a news report, this was discussed last week at a meeting of the Warren County Health & Welfare Committee.
The Warren County Board of Commissioners meets tonight, July 18, 2022. A quarterly Animal Control & Adoption Center report is on the agenda, which indicates that during the second quarter of 2022, 78 dogs were picked up, 89 were adopted or transported, two were quarantined, and one was euthanized. The shelter census of dogs, as of the reporting date, was 42. The county executive’s report dated July 18 notes a recent increase in the shelter population.
What you can do:
Attend the meeting tonight, July 18, 2022, 6:30pm, 201 Locust Street, McMinnville, Tennessee 37110, to learn more about county sheltering issues.
Contact members of the Health & Welfare Committee, as well as county commissioners who do not serve on the committee, to discuss the ineffectiveness of spay/neuter mandates and recommend better solutions.
Talking points:
- Spay/neuter laws are usually considered by local governments in response to animal control concerns in the community. Proponents believe this will reduce the number of animals at local shelters and strays roaming in neighborhoods. However, these laws have not proved an effective solution to animal control concerns, and punish responsible breeders and those who choose to keep intact dogs for conformation competition, field trials, hunting, and other similar activities.
- Spay/neuter laws are very difficult to enforce, and in some cases result in public health concerns when owners avoid routine veterinary appointments and pet vaccinations to hide their lack of compliance.
- Spay/neuter laws can prevent consumers from being able to obtain a healthy, well-bred dog from a local responsible breeder.
- Rather than imposing spay/neuter mandates, lawmakers should instead focus on enforcing at-large dog laws to reduce the number of strays and unintended litters, expand low-cost spay/neuter programs, and provide resources for public education programs to promote responsible dog ownership.
Click here for additional resources and talking points.
For additional information, please contact American Kennel Club Government Relations at doglaw@akc.org.