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Spay It or Pay It

post #1 of 35
6/9/06 at 10:31pm
Thread Starter 
http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/06/09/fix....ap/index.html

Rhode Island just had a law signed that requires people to spay/neuter their cats or pay a fine of up to $75/month, unless they get a Breeder's License ($100).

I'll be really interested to see how much of a difference this law makes in the euthanasia rate in shelters there.
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post #2 of 35
6/9/06 at 10:49pm
Thread Starter 
Here's the text of the bill:

http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/Billtex...t06/S2014B.pdf

I have to say, as a companion animal welfare advocate, I'm impressed! The program fees (fines and breeder fees) go 100% toward low-cost spay/neuter funds and for shelters so they can spay/neuter prior to adoption.
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post #3 of 35
6/9/06 at 10:58pm
We seriously need something like that around here... there are SO many kittens and puppies and dogs and cats for sale/free right now! It's horrible!
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post #4 of 35
6/10/06 at 12:18am
Thats great!! I would love to see something like that put into effect all over the country!! I think it would make a huge difference in the euthanasia rate!
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post #5 of 35
6/10/06 at 2:38am
I like it. Granted, it is largely unenforceable, but I still see it as something that can only help.

What I hope is that it does not lead to complacency. You can't legislate a problem away, legislation can only give you the "teeth" needed to solve a problem.

One thing I'd like to see is a provision like they have in NYC, where any animal impounded by animal control must be s/n before being released from the shelter. It's critical because it targets high risk animals and takes care of things before the animal ever leaves the shelter, which saves the resources that otherwise would need to be spent monitoring compliance.
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post #6 of 35
6/10/06 at 4:13am
For many years, my county has had higher licensing fees, for unspayed/neutered dogs.

I pay $10.00 per year, per dog. Licenses for intact dogs are either $75 or $95 (can't remember which).
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post #7 of 35
6/10/06 at 10:50am
Let's hope it makes a difference that leads other states to pass such laws. I wonder why farms are exempt? I don't suppose there are a lot of them in RI, but I know that around here some farmers are a major problem because they refuse to spay, neuter, or vaccinate. A lot of them still drown unwanted kittens, too, although it's illegal.
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post #8 of 35
6/10/06 at 11:51am
AND Connecticut:

http://www.rep-am.com/story.php?id=8018
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post #9 of 35
6/10/06 at 12:09pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by CommonOddity042
Fabulous!!! I love that the State is going to help fund TNVR (Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Release/Return) groups too!
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post #10 of 35
6/10/06 at 12:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by maddensmom
Thats great!! I would love to see something like that put into effect all over the country!! I think it would make a huge difference in the euthanasia rate!
Couldnt agree more!! I wish they would do that around here!! I think it would be GREAT!!
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post #11 of 35
6/10/06 at 3:35pm
Quote:
like it. Granted, it is largely unenforceable, but I still see it as something that can only help.
If the counties and cities can work together, all county control would have to do is drive through neighborhoods and make random stops and people's houses who have dogs, or have puppies and ask to see a license. If they don't have a license, but have puppies they should take the dogs away [IMO] and alter them and charge the owners to take them back/adopt them out, or fine them like $500. Most people who don't spay and neuter their pets don't want to spend $100 on a breeding license, but they won't want to spend $500 getting caught either. However you're right, for it to even be effective the state has to keep tabs on people.
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post #12 of 35
6/11/06 at 9:35am
I think it's great that this bill was passed, and that spay/neuter is getting the attention it deserves. However, as someone that lives within walking distance of RI, I have also heard a lot of the arguments against the bill, and some of them do have merit. There is a huge concern that many people that have intact cats will bring them to the shelter or leave them out to fend for themselves to avoid the fines. I also thinks this law will be hard to enforce. Unless a neighbor reports someone or animal control is amide aware of a hoarding situation, they will not be randomly knocking on doors. Most animal control departments are already understaffed, and their budgets are constantly shrinking. There is no way of knowing who has a cat and who doesn't. There are not cat licenses like there are dog licenses in this area. I also do not understand the farm exemption. No, there are not many farms in RI, but why should they be exempt?
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post #13 of 35
6/11/06 at 12:56pm
We should make a federal law about this issue. Waiting for 50 states to pass the laws is just too slow for me.
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post #14 of 35
6/11/06 at 9:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by AbbysMom
There is a huge concern that many people that have intact cats will bring them to the shelter or leave them out to fend for themselves to avoid the fines.
Honestly, I would expect shelters to have the collective common sense to offer free or extremely low-cost s/n to folks who do this. It's easier and actually cheaper for a shelter to pay for s/n and send the animal back home than to hold and possibly euthanize the animal. But overall, even if people were turning in the animals to the shelter it will still be better in the long run. In order for fewer cats to die in shelters, we need fewer intact cats out there.
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post #15 of 35
6/12/06 at 5:16am
Quote:
Originally Posted by shengmei
We should make a federal law about this issue. Waiting for 50 states to pass the laws is just too slow for me.
This is not a Federal issue but a state/local one. Too many government regulations, now and enforcement would be an expensive nightmare.
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post #16 of 35
6/12/06 at 2:21pm
good for them. But of course i also have to cringe if it gets passed in my state another fee for me to pay, bleck lol. Will i do it of course. but i already pay my dog lisence fee's as well as my cattery/kennel fees. they add up fast.
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post #17 of 35
6/13/06 at 8:11am
Finally, what looks to be a feasible solution to such a serious problem!

I'm not exactly sure how they are going to track who is being altered, and who isn't, though...how is this going to be enforced?
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post #18 of 35
6/13/06 at 10:03am
I'm not in favor of allowing farmers to be exempt...they can have cats that are altered, just like everyone else.

Katie
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post #19 of 35
6/13/06 at 12:51pm
That's awesome. I wish we had something like that here.
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post #20 of 35
7/12/06 at 6:10am
I came across this article on msnbc, and thought it might be interesting topic for debate. Although I imagine that alot of us will be happy with it, and not against it. Read the article at the link below and post your feed back.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13248311/
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post #21 of 35
7/12/06 at 10:34am
It seems like the law in RI will backfire for awhile and then even out. After awhile, only people who would have spayed / neutered their cats will have one anyway. 100$ for a breeding liscense isn't bad for people who really are breeding and is too much for BYB ers to pay, so that's a great idea!

I wish they did it everywhere.

But then what I'd be worried about is that suddenly you could only get purebred cats, which I would hate, or someone would start breeding moggies because most cats owners want moggies. Hmmmmm....
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post #22 of 35
7/12/06 at 11:21am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zissou'sMom
But then what I'd be worried about is that suddenly you could only get purebred cats, which I would hate, or someone would start breeding moggies because most cats owners want moggies. Hmmmmm....
This is exactly what this law will accomplish. Virginia attempted to pass it during the last session but after the vote with little to no support (way too much AR pork was attached), it died a slow but natural death.

IMO, changing the law isn't going to help. Instead of changing the law, we should be placing our focus on changing the prevailing attitude of those responsible for the majority of the problem.

Putting funding into low- or no-cost s/n programs and TNR efforts is a much, much better approach IMO. Laws will do nothing but keep the already honest people honest. They aren't going to do anything with the dishonest ones, who will find a way to get around this.
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post #23 of 35
7/12/06 at 8:48pm
That sounds like a good idea! I wonder how it's working out. Tennessee could definiely use a law like that .
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post #24 of 35
7/13/06 at 8:57am
New York has such a strong spay/neuter law that they actually do not have enough puppies in the state to satisfy demand! We, here in western Kentucky, send a truck load of puppies to the North Shore Animal League in New York each month (we call it the puppy run) so that people up there can adopt. Sadly, our shelter euthanizes thousands of puppies and cats every year. Seeing how effective it is in New York (even if not 100%) proves to me that it is well worth doing.
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post #25 of 35
7/13/06 at 1:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by valanhb
Here's the text of the bill:

http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/Billtex...t06/S2014B.pdf

I have to say, as a companion animal welfare advocate, I'm impressed! The program fees (fines and breeder fees) go 100% toward low-cost spay/neuter funds and for shelters so they can spay/neuter prior to adoption.
Funny you should bring this topic up on TCS! On the Pregnant cat and kittens threads 9 out of 10 pg cats are ones whose owners WANTED them to have a litter. They are not pure nor are their owners breeders!
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post #26 of 35
7/13/06 at 1:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MyBabies
Funny you should bring this topic up on TCS! On the Pregnant cat and kittens threads 9 out of 10 pg cats are ones whose owners WANTED them to have a litter. They are not pure nor are their owners breeders!
Most of them were deleted because you didn't put them in an appropriate place, if I recall correctly. It wasn't simply because of the message, but how it was delivered.
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post #27 of 35
7/13/06 at 3:33pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by CommonOddity042
Most of them were deleted because you didn't put them in an appropriate place, if I recall correctly. It wasn't simply because of the message, but how it was delivered.
Yes I understand! I come on too strong! I AM learning not to - SLOWLY - but I am learning! I just get so upset reading about all these babies being born when on other groups there are people desperately trying to save the lives of unwanted cats - in Petsmart too!
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post #28 of 35
7/19/06 at 8:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MyBabies
... On the Pregnant cat and kittens threads 9 out of 10 pg cats are ones whose owners WANTED them to have a litter. They are not pure nor are their owners breeders!
Not to hijack this thread, but as the Moderator of the Pregnant Cats and Kitten Care forum here at TCS, your comments above are inaccurate. Most of the people who post in that Forum are fostering pregnant shelter or rescue cats or are people who have taken in a pregnant stray. There are a couple of "oops" litters as well, but face it, life happens and we don't always make great choices when our backs are against a wall. There have only been a small handful of people who intentionally were allowing their pets to have kittens and of those few, the grand majority didn't like what they were told here so they packed up their crayons and went away in a huff. The ONE person I can think of who did stay around now understands the error of her ways and will be taking the appropriate measures as soon as her cat's health condition will allow.

In the interest of fairness and for the benefit of those who give freely and generously of their time to post regularly in that Forum to help others, I felt I must address your comments. We have reached so many more with the message of responsible cat care and ownership than we have lost in the Pregnant Cats and Kitten Care Forum. It serves a good purpose and it has helped many people through a particularly stressful event with their cats. I just hate to see it maligned this way. *sigh*
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post #29 of 35
7/19/06 at 9:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by gayef
Not to hijack this thread, but as the Moderator of the Pregnant Cats and Kitten Care forum here at TCS, your comments above are inaccurate. Most of the people who post in that Forum are fostering pregnant shelter or rescue cats or are people who have taken in a pregnant stray. There are a couple of "oops" litters as well, but face it, life happens and we don't always make great choices when our backs are against a wall. There have only been a small handful of people who intentionally were allowing their pets to have kittens and of those few, the grand majority didn't like what they were told here so they packed up their crayons and went away in a huff. The ONE person I can think of who did stay around now understands the error of her ways and will be taking the appropriate measures as soon as her cat's health condition will allow.

In the interest of fairness and for the benefit of those who give freely and generously of their time to post regularly in that Forum to help others, I felt I must address your comments. We have reached so many more with the message of responsible cat care and ownership than we have lost in the Pregnant Cats and Kitten Care Forum. It serves a good purpose and it has helped many people through a particularly stressful event with their cats. I just hate to see it maligned this way. *sigh*
That is why I appologized! I was being a smart a** as I see so many people dissapointed when their cats are not pregnant. It just hurts to see so many being born and knowing that a lot of them will end up at the shelters.

I DID appologise though as I know I have to back off! AS I said I am learning SLOWLY to keep my mouth shut!
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post #30 of 35
7/20/06 at 1:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by TNR1
I'm not in favor of allowing farmers to be exempt...they can have cats that are altered, just like everyone else.

Katie
I'm all for spaying and neutering, but I'm not sure that farm owners can afford/want to spend a lot of money to alter their cats. Let's say a farmer has 10 barn cats, and it costs $100 each to alter them (a low estimate, I think). He'd have to spend $1000. That's going to be a tough sell.
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