California is one step closer to passing a bill that would require most cat and dog owners to spay or neuter their pets by the time they are four months old. It is in effort to lower the animals euthanized every year in California—over 400,000—and to bring down the costs of animal control services. The numbers are staggering. Over a ten year period, California took in 8.9 million animals and had to kill 5.3 million of those. The cost to tax-payers was $2.75 billion.
Bill AB1634 was based on a similar bill passed in Santa Cruz, CA. Since the bill was passed in 1995, the number of animals in shelters has dropped from 14,000 to 5,000.
You can find out more about the bill here at the California Healthy Pets Act site.
This FAQ addresses many of the fears about Bill AB1634, including whether it will cause a pet shortage, elliminate dog breeders, end dog shows, end service dog and police enforcement dog programs, or endanger old or sick animals. The answers? No, no, no, no, and no.
This video discusses the bill.
