The Fix Is In
"I don't have an exit strategy for Iraq, and I can't tell you where to put your money or find a man, but this I know: spaying and neutering is the only way to reduce the slaughter," Austin says. "The law is brilliant."
Austin and her staff have their hands full trying to meet the needs of those who can't afford to comply with the law by visiting a vet. Her clinic performed 7,200 surgeries last year; last Saturday alone they worked on 97 pets, 37 of which were pit bulls.
Despite her best efforts, Austin can't convince everyone to go along with the program. Korina Betancourt, 38, wanted her son's new pit bull, Ruby, to get vaccinated and fixed, but her ex-husband, Jerome Santos, who bought the dog, intervened.
"I don't want to spay her now," Santos says. "I might want to breed her."
No surgery, no free vaccine, explained Austin, who tried to cajole Santos by touting the health benefits of spaying and neutering and showing him a copy of the law and the cost of its fines. She explained that L.A. shelters are full of pit bulls that can't find homes, but Santos didn't budge.
"I believe it should be up to the owners to take care of dogs," he says. "Everybody has a right to leave them as they are."
Loading Menu
Member Comments
Posted By: amcpike @ 05/01/2008 6:53:10 PM
Comment: I live in Albuquerque, New Mexico, who has adopted laws similar to those in L.A., but go even further. Here, all dogs and cats must be spayed or neutered and you can purchase an intact permit for $150 per pet, per year. All pets must be microchipped, and have current vaccinations. They must also have a city license. The $6 fee for the city license goes into a fund to help low income residents to spay and neuter their pets, but where do you think the intact permit fees go? Directly into the City's slush fund. There are even laws regarding the shade and shelter for your pets and amounts of food and water that must be present, etc.
These laws are a blatant disregard for the rights of pet owners. These laws do not punish the law breakers. Those that don't care about their animals will continue to let them run loose and will not bother with the new laws. When they get caught for violating, then they just surrender the animal and get another one down the road. These laws punish those of us that care deeply for our animals. I for one show my animals and so I am punished with high fees to keep them intact. I can guarantee that mine don't get out. Shouldn't I have to pay a fine when they do, rather than be charged up front for something that they have not done. My dogs will not be bred irresponsibly. They may not be bred at all if we do not feel their traits are worth passing on to better the breed. As far as the AKC being in it for the money. They are a non-profit organization. How could they be in it for the money?
There are legitimate studies that show the health risks of spaying and neutering animals. The animal activists have their hearts in the right place, but I think fines should only be levied if someone is proven to be in violation. Low cost procedures should be offered, but the process should be voluntary, not required. We cannot possibly save all of the unwanted animals. Making these laws will not make the problem disappear, but rather make good law abiding citizens into outlaws if they don't want to comply because they show or breed dogs.
Posted By: BadGas @ 04/24/2008 4:47:33 PM
Comment: Maybe people that do not want to spay and neuter their pets could work in the animal shelter for a week euthanizing unwanted animals...
Posted By: BadGas @ 04/24/2008 4:46:26 PM
Comment: Maybe folks that dont want to spay or neuter their animals could work in the animal shelter euthanizing animals for a week...