Dog Life

Los Angeles's New Spay/Neuter Ordinance

The new spay/neuter law in Los Angeles is a welcome step in the fight to end pet overpopulation.  The new ordinance states that all dogs and cats over the age of four months must be spayed or neuter unless they qualify for one of the following exemptions:

1. Dogs which are unable to be spayed or neutered without a high likelihood of suffering serious bodily harm or death due to age or infirmity. Written confirmation from a licensed veterinarian is required to qualify for this exception.
2. Dogs used by law enforcement agencies for law enforcement purposes.
3. Service or assistance dogs that assist disabled persons.
4. Competition dogs. A Competition Dog is a dog which is used to show, to compete or to breed, which is of a breed recognized by and registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC), United Kennel Club (UKC), American Dog Breeders Association (ADBA) or other approved breed registries. The dog or owner must also meet ONE of the following requirements:
   1. The dog has competed in at least one dog show or sporting competition sanctioned by a national registry or approved by the department within the last 365 days; or
   2. The dog has earned a conformation, obedience, agility, carting, herding, protection, rally, sporting, working or other title from a purebred dog registry referenced above or other registry or dog sport association approved by the department; or
   3. The owner or custodian of the dog is a member of a department approved purebred dog breed clubs, which maintains and enforces a code of ethics for dog breeding that includes restrictions from breeding dogs with genetic defects and life threatening health problems that commonly threaten the breed.

If you believe your dog meets one of these exemptions, please complete and return an Exemption Application.

In additon to the spay/neuter portion of the law, microchiping your pet is also required.

This new ordinance was passed in February 2008 by the city council and signed into law on February 26, 2008 by Mayor Antoni Villaraigosa.  The law is meant to humanely decrease the number of animals abondoned and euthanized in Los Angeles county animals shelters each year and to increase safety on the streets of Los Angeles.  (For more on reasons to spay and neuter your pet check out my blog entry titled Neuter vs. Nature.)  According to the Los Angeles Department of Animal Care and Control, in the fiscal year 2004-2005 the department impounded 40,174 dogs, more than any other animal care and control agency in the nation. During that year 18,804 dogs were euthanized. Despite strong efforts to place dogs into new homes and reunite lost dogs with their owners, there are still not enough adoptive homes available.

Don't be a part of the problem!  Be part of the solution!

What to do about China?

In August, 2006, over 50,000 dogs were cruelly beaten, electrocuted, or strangled to death in the Yunnan province of China.  This "culling" as the Chinese government calls it, was in response to a rabies outbreak in which three people died.  After an outpouring of complaints and protests from the international community (and many within China as well), further dog cullings were temporarily halted as they reflected badly on China's image leading up to the 2008 Olympics.

China had long since been on my mind due to its atrocious human rights record, the unabated polluting of its environment, and its treatment of animals in general.  China is well-known for its live animal markets that include dogs and cats for consumption and fur.  But when I read of the killings in Yunnan and the manner in which they were carried out, I felt I had to act.  Through the Humane Society of the United States and its off-shoot, the Humane Society International, I wrote letters to the Chinese ambassador in Washington, D.C.  Evidently so did many others and as of December 2006, a planned dog culling in Beijing was called off.

Several animal rights organizations have urged people to write letters to the president of China thanking him for this action and respectfully encouraging him to go further in his animal rights policies (such as instituting a rabies vaccination program).  While I do not disagree with this stance, I don't believe it is a strong enough action.

In August I began boycotting Chinese products.  I feel strongly that most policies do not change unless they affect the metaphorical pocketbook.  And perhaps my meager little boycott of China is far less than a drop in the bucket, but what if thousands were to do the same? The problem, however, is that boycotting Chinese products in America is not at all easy.  As I began the process of reading the "made in" labels, I realized that a great majority of the products sold in this country are made in China.  That said, although the process is difficult, it is not impossible.  Sometimes I have to pay more, and sometimes I have to do without, but I have managed to effectively stop buying Chinese products.

Some may ask:  Why pick on China when there are so many other countries with terrible animal rights issues, including the U.S.?  My answer would be that we have to start somewhere, effect change, and then go on to the next problem to be confronted.  China is such a blatant abuser on so many levels it is an obvious first choice. (China's dog and cat fur industry is cruel and unregulated, and dog consumption is on the rise.)  In addition, it is becoming an international power, based in part on the amount of money it makes from its products sold in the United States.  If other countries see that China must make changes to survive in the international economic community, then they may follow suit.  (As for the United States and the problems animals face here, please continue reading this blog in the future.)

What can you do to help animals (particularly dogs) in China?  Here is a list of some steps that may help:

• Write a letter or e-mail (I am told letters are better than e-mails in this case) to the president of China.
• Write a letter or e-mail to the US ambassador of China.
• Do not buy products made in China when other choices are available.  (Remember, try to buy from countries that have human and animal rights protections.)
• Do not buy fur, not even faux fur.  Dog and cat fur is often used in China and/or shipped to other countries to use in their products. Dog and cat fur is never labeled as such and is often used to make faux fur as well.  Write to your representative to help pass a ban.
• Join and support any of the following organization who are active in making changes to laws and practice in China.

1. The Humane Society of the United States
2. The Humane Society Internatinal Asia
3. Bestfriends
4. Animals Asia Foundation

• Write to the Chinese Olympic committee.
• Tell friends and family not to buy fur or Chinese products.
• Write to companies and stores and tell them you will not buy their products made in China.

Together we may make a difference to dogs in China!