LA spay-and-neuter efforts falling short
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.
About the new law:
- Passed Feb. 12 by the Los Angeles City Council
- Requires all cats and dogs in the city to be spayed or neutered after the age of 4 months, with some specific exemptions allowed (including dogs that compete in shows, have a special title in agility or herding, used as a guide or service dogs, police dogs, have a letter from a veterinarian to defer surgery due to age or health.)
- Grace period ends Oct. 1.
- Violations subject to three levels of increasing penalties, starting at $100. After the third violation, non-compliance is a misdemeanor.
Among other reasons to spay and neuter:
- The surgeries are safe and simple and stop animals from reproducing (females are spayed, males are neutered).
- One unneutered male can impregnate dozens of females.
- Reduces or eliminates the risk of certain types of cancer.
- May eliminate undesirable behaviors such as fighting, spraying and roaming.
About the Bloggers
Daily Breeze reporter Donna Littlejohn has shared her homes with a succession of wonderful, funny, and occasionally difficult canines -- Muffin, Fritz, Ellie, Mercy, Pilgrim and now Cowboy, an Australian shepherd-border collie, and Tess, a border collie. From strong-willed terriers to weirdly obsessed Australian shepherds, they've invaded her world with boundless energy, wet noses, muddy paws and soggy tennis balls. But they've really brought so much more than that -- like laughter and joy, some unexpected life lessons, and more than a few tears along the way.
E-mail Donna at donna.littlejohn@dailybreeze.com.
Josh Grossberg grew up with the usual array of animals: goldfish, dogs, hamsters, parakeets and turtles. He now owns the loudest dog in the South Bay(Video: Rocket the Dog) and is the least popular person on his block. He spends his free time in dog parks, pet shops and always has an extra plastic bag in his pocket just in case. He also has a cat.
E-mail Josh at josh.grossberg@dailybreeze.com.
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