The Epidemic Is Spreading

When AB 1634 first hit the state of California, the dog community was unprepared. Those that introduced the idea of mandated forced sterilization of all pets had several years to work on their proposal and develop their arguments. They knew where to hit: the heart with the stories of euthanasia and the overburdened animal shelters and the pocketbook with the amount of dollars being spent every year on euthanasia and the overburdened animal shelters.

As a community, the dog fancy came back grassroots style with the facts. Although the emotion was there (we are talking about our dogs; a HUGE part of each of our families), we kept it checked and let the truth speak. Too often, unfortunately, the truth was smothered by the twisted figures used by those who support mandatatory sterilization and the pleas for "do the right thing."

My heart goes out to every animal in the shelter especially those who are too ill, too old, or too much of a behavior issue to even be considered for homes. My altruistic nature would love to open up a facility and never have a single animal killed. But this is not the reality so the best that I can do is be sure that the animals I breed are well provided-- whelping to grave-- and that I take care to ensure that every prospective family passes all of my "tests." This is the small part that I can do to be sure that none of the puppies I bring into this world will ever be a burden on the system.

Every time a mandatory spay/neuter bill is presented throughout our nation, the dog fancy speaks out about what we are doing to help the system and the American Kennel Club sends out an alert. I have it memorized by now because at last count, I believe there are 38 states with some sort of mandates either on the books as law or proposing such. It is an epidemic!

The source is not Judie Mancuso or Ed Boks. Neither of them created the idea of sterilizing pets but they were willing enough pawns to carry the torch for the more extreme animal rights organizations. It is a seed that had been planted years ago and now has caught on like wild fire.

It seems that at every turn there is a new proposal somewhere.

One day, I hope, legislative bodies will realize that mandating restrictions on basic property rights and the love of our best friends-- our dogs-- will only result in more heartbreak.

Now, the sad question-- do they even care?