Chicago- mandatory spay/neuter law proposed

nekochan

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There was a hearing on this today, but they did not vote today, they decided to put the matter on recess for now. I am not sure when they will be meeting next.

Chicago "Substitute Ordinance - Mandatory Spay/Neuter"
July 2008

(this article from: http://www.cfa.org/exhibitors/alert-IL-Chicago7-12.html )

Chicago Aldermen have suggested a possible mandatory spay/neuter ordinance for several months. A draft has now been introduced. The MSN ordinance will be discussed and possibly voted on at a joint committee meeting in Chicago this coming TUESDAY JULY 29th. Let your friends in Chicago know. Revised language for the ordinance was sent to us today from the author's office.
This concept and wording was imported straight from California (compiled from the old failed AB 1634 and the newly passed City of Los Angeles MSN law). This legislation requires sterilization of all cats and dogs over the age of 6 months.
The proposal would seriously impact breeders of pedigreed cats, purebred dogs, law enforcement and other working dogs. It will be detrimental to the unowned/feral cats. Our views must be expressed before the meeting.


WHAT TO DO:

* Send a fax to the authors/two Committee Chairs - contact information is below
Refer to - Chicago "Substitute Ordinance - Mandatory Spay/Neuter" July 2008

Suggested opposition points - put in your own words. See the CFA article -" MSN - Pedigreed Cats are NOT Exempt"

** Mandated sterilization gives government authority to determine whether or when to spay/neuter a pet - this is a decision that should remain the pet owner's choice with veterinary advice. It is not always possible to determine if a kitten of 6 months will be a good show/breeding cat or pet.

** Most owned pet cats are already sterilized - studies show 87% to 94% nationwide with urban area rates highest. The unowned or "loosely owned" cats may be intact but mandating spay/neuter will not change this - low cost sterilization and feral cat trap/neuter/return programs will. Stray pregnant cats will be ignored rather than helped for fear of penalty.

** Pedigreed cats registered with an "approved" registry AND kept for competing in shows are exempt. But not all cats like to show; not all cats valuable in a breeding program can be shown or win titles (i.e. straight eared Scottish Folds, stumpy tail Manx)

** Commercial breeders with a valid animal facility license are exempt - with this ordinance this will be all that is left. Home-based private breeders dedicated to the best of their breeds will no longer continue.

** Permits for each cat provide another exemption but the permit costs $100 every year per cat. A breeder must jump through numerous hoops to obtain the permit. It is a violation for a person to allow the cat/dog to " breed" before obtaining this permit - it is not easy to predict when a female will be in season and have a permit in hand in advance.

** Permits include advertising requirements. Transfer of a cat/dog even to a family member or placement of a retired show cat means providing personal information to the Commission. Permit applicants must go through a criminal history background check.

** VIOLATION penalties are extremely severe! Second violation of any section means up to $100 fine; third violation means up to $500 AND constitutes grounds for IMPOUNDMENT.

** Impoundment for any reason requires mandated microchip and sterilization on FIRST IMPOUNDMENT unless the animal can qualify for intact exemption. There is a hearing process, testimony within 15 days of request and circuit court appeal. But every day a cat sits in the shelter waiting for the process to be over means a greater chance for infectious disease. This is an outrageous requirement, cruel to the animal especially in times of disaster when there may be numerous animals impounded. Many who do not want to pay for a microchip and sterilization in addition to shelter housing charges will sadly abandon their cat to the shelter. Mandated sterilization does not work. The spay/neuter law passed in Rhode Island for cats has been a failure because no one applies for a permit. The few jurisdictions that have passed MSN ws have had no track record to assess the problems or long term negative consequences.



CONTACTS
Clubs and individuals - IMMEDIATELY send your FAX to:
Alderman Edward Burke (author)
Chair - Committee on Finance
121 N. LaSalle St. Room 302
FAX - 312-744-1955
[email protected]
Alderman Virginia Rugai (author)
121 N. LaSalle St. Room 300
FAX 773-238-9049
[email protected]
Alderman Eugene Schulter Chair, Committee on License & Consumer Protection
121 N. LaSalle St. Room 300
FAX 312-744-1509
[email protected]
To correspond with the CFA Legislative Committee, please send email to [email protected]
 

goldenkitty45

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I hate it when legit breeders have to suffer cause of backyard breeders. And most BYB will get away with things, while the good breeders suffer and are "regulated". Most good breeders already spay/neuter before placing and its not fair!
 

ferriscat

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One word-- Redemption

It's a great book by Nathan Winograd and should be mandatory reading for anybody proposing mandatory S/N.
 

moonandstarkatz

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I keep skimming this post and thinking to self, not going to start on this subject but here I am and I have to comment on a few things.
Number 1 is that unfortunately the larger breeders are the ones with the money. They pay for the defense and go to court. Animal rights includes the HSUS (who doesn't have a shelter to their name) PETA (who kills most intakes) and neither support TNR or no kill rescue (calls no kill rescues hoarders of sorts) and want pit bulls banned and a collection of others.

FBI and Congress have actually had to pass laws declaring animal rights violence a major offense as animal researchers now fear for their lives.

Animal rights is the concept that we shouldn't own pets, they should be free. Never mind the mink farmers mink let lose who are odd colored and can't survive.
Here is what I have to say. My family has been breeding for over 100 years and never made money doing it. However, if we did, that would be nice.

Shelters are IMPORTING puppies and are excempt from needing rabies shots before coming into the country.

Shelter statistics aren't released reliably with stats of feral cats euthed, and really how many small dogs are in shelters and why are rescued 300-400 dollars. And why to purebreds cost more?

Sorry but what has happened here is one type of breeder condemns another and thats their goal, to split us all up. I have things in my breeding mental book of things completely not okay like selling sick cats and keeping cats in unsanitary conditions but how many cats one owns is based on their own personal decision. A good breeder knows their limits and works accordingly. Now add breeding permit fees on top of the money I DON'T make and congrats, you have effectively done what the bills aren't supposed to, killed the hobby breeder and kept the USDA breeder around who are REQUIRED basiclally to cage their cats for inspection purposes.

Add inspections to that list, they can come in your home, inspect and find zoning issues ect and utterly criminalize what would be.

Now one of the comments made at this hearing from a report I saw was something to the affect of to find a breeder, "look in the crime pages."

And the person who really was behind this and the new Harvard and other law school animal rights studies ( more lawyers goodie lol) is Bob Barker. I refuse to watch the price is right any longer.

Ah yes and finally I am not a guardian, I am an owner. When you are the guardian of something its something the state owns and they lend to you in no uncertain terms. So that would mean those not giving all those shots you don't want to, or not early spay/neuter ect its not yours to decide. I lived in a state where I was a "guardian."

Thanks Much but I am happy to own and breed and think shelters are great for some folks and breeders for another crowd. The concept of buying from a breeder takes away a home for a shelter animal isn't correct. I raw feed and as many have said, show a NR shelter.

Thanks for reading and next hearing is scheduled for the fall session. There were more AR than against from what I heard.

Daisy
 
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nekochan

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We are lucky here in Chicago that we have at least one local "celebrity" willing to stand up for animal welfare (welfare, NOT rights) and speak on behalf of the pet-owning public. Steve Dale was present and I believe spoke at the hearing. He is against the mandatory S/N law. I heard him talking on a radio show the other day as well, giving reasons why this is a bad idea, and he also has his own WGN pet radio show and column so hopefully he will continue to be very vocal against this potential ordinance. He was very vocal against the proposed breed-specific legislation that came up in Chicago in the last year or two as well.
 
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