Dallas, Texas

Dallas has been considering a mandatory spay/neuter ordinance and limit laws for some time.  It is not too late to stop this legislation from occurring.   The proposals have included the following:

1. Mandatory Spay/Nueter at four month or six months.

2. Breeder Permits at a cost of $500.00 per intact animal given only at Director of Animal Services discretion and if the animal in question is a registered with a registery recognized by the Director and the owner is amember of a  purebred club that is approved by Director . Breeder Permit only for a registry that has a code of ethics for breeding that restricts breeding of dogs/cats with health problems and genetic defects.

3. One litter per year (one year can have two litters if approved).

4. Competition Dog /Cat Registration (Draft Revision only)--creates a defense for not having a breeder permit IF the owner registers the dog/cat as a competition animal AND the owner must file a sworn (notarized) statement that the animal will NOT be bred until a Breeder Permit is obtained.

5. Failing to comply with this ordinance is an "offense" and the fine can  be up to $2000 (that is the fine for ordinance violations that affect the health & safety of the public) and can get your animals impounded.

More information can be found at: wwww.responsiblepetowners.org

Some major points all correspondence should include are as follows:

Opposed to MSN including registering for competition animals
Support voluntary MSN for pets.
Support low cost spay neuter initiatives for voluntary spay neuter for
those who can't afford it.
Ordinances are too invasive and controlling.
Ordinances seek to eliminate responsible breeding by restrictive fees
(really fines) and rules.
 Government should not seek to control how we own our animals.
There are at large laws that will prevent indiscriminate breeding of strays if enforced.
There are feral cat colony laws that will encourage the spay neuter of feral cats thereby reducing the at large cat population if encouraged.
There are cruelty laws that can prevent puppy millers and hoarders from keeping animals in deplorable conditions.
MSN laws that have passed in other cities and counties have actually caused an increase in euthanasia rates and a decrease in pet registrations.
Fort Worth abandoned their MSN ordinance because pet registrations went down, vaccinating for Rabies went down and the incidence of Rabies increased.
Economically impossible to enforce MSN and breeder permits when tax dollars could be spent on positive things like promoting shelter  adoptions, educating for voluntary spay neuter, enforcing existing laws.
How is Animal Control going to enforce MSN--go to people's homes demanding to check body parts of their dogs and cats? 
 

Hearing set for April, 28, 2008.