Results tagged “pet overpopulation” from South Bay Pets

When it comes to efforts to spay and neuter Los Angeles pets, the city is falling short, according to a new audit released by Los Angeles City Controller Laura Chick. Reporter Kerry Cavanaugh writes about it in today's Los Angeles Daily News and Daily Breeze:

Six months after the Los Angeles City Council and mayor passed an ordinance requiring owners to spay or neuter their pets, the city has done little to educate the public on the new rule -- and will likely rely on voluntary compliance, according to an audit released Tuesday.

Los Angeles is the largest city in the nation to enact such a strict spay-and-neuter ordinance. The law takes effect in October and requires owners to fix pets 4 months old or older.

Animal Services General Manager Ed Boks says lack of funding is a problem.

"This ordinance is an unfunded mandate for the department," Boks told the Daily News. "It comes at a time when the department sustained 15 percent budget cuts this year and we're facing the layoffs of some 27 employees."

Public service announcements are being prepared, he said, and the department will enforce the ordinance once it takes effect Oct. 1.

The city's Animal Services web site provides more information about the new law along with resources to find low-cost spay and neuter clinics.

California may soon have its own specialized license plate to help fund spay-and-neuter programs.

It's all part of a state law -- AB 1634 (California Healthy Pets Act) -- that's making its way through the state legislature (more on that later this week when the bill is expected to be close to its final form).

As for the license plate, Judie Mancuso of .the AB 1634 campaign says 23 other states already have plates supporting similar spay-and-neuter programs.

And based on how successful California's environmental plates have been -- bringing in $4.5 million from 2006-07 alone -- she said the pets version could really make a difference in the fight against pet overpopulation.

So what will it look like? Don't know yet.

"We're hoping to have a contest and to open it up to the entire state," she said. The plates would include a message and a picture. If 7,500 are pre-sold at the Department of Motor Vehicles, the plates will begin to be issued 9 months later, she said. So that means they could be available about a year from now.

We'll update you with more details later this week on the pending state bill. If you want to find out more about in the meantime, visit the sponsor's web page.

And you can see samples of plates from other states here.

Plates from Florida and Texas are show above. And here's New Mexico's version: 

Let's get those creative ideas going! .

Today's Daily Breeze carries news of some changes in a long-established veterinarian practice in the South Bay.

Dr. W. Marvin Mackie,  (shown below) founded a string of low-cost spay-and-neuter clinics in his personal crusade to fight pet overpopulation. In April, he sold his last remaining clinic, Animal Birth

"Dr. Z," 37, who also has a mobile vet clinic (www.surfsidevet.com), plans to continue the spay/neuter services at the clinic, although prices will go up some. He will expand the vision

As for Dr. Mackie, 71, he'll continue to work part time at the clinic during the transition period and also will be teaching and speaking. His trailblazing ideas are still being taught via DVDs available at his web site, www.quickspay.com.

Both veterinarians live in San Pedro.

Daily Breeze photos/Scott Varley