SANTA BARBARA COUNTY MSN ORDINANCE

Here is the CDOC Response to a letter from Lee Heller, well-to-do SB animal activist, which was printed in todays Santa Ynez Valley Journal.

Dr. Heller has impressive credentials, a history of activism, and she organized both adults and children into a cohesive, yellow-ribbon bedecked band of supporters.  But what she never did was present any evidence that MSN works.  Nor did the County Public Health Department.  And that is because all the statistics go the other way.

If there is evidence of success for MSN why was it not presented?  Why has the State Legislature rejected it for the last 3 years?  Why has the California Department of Finance reported that it will have a negative financial effect of local government?  Why have the American Veterinary Medical Association and ASPCA issued written position papers opposing the MSN of owned dogs?  Why did HSUS not weigh in?

There were no shelter experts on the Task Force.  The three people that are nationally recognized as having the most expertise are Richard Avanzino, Nathan Winograd and Bill Bruce.  Avanzino and Winograd live in California; it would have been easy to get their testimony.  Bill Bruce attended a task force meeting but was not allowed to make a presentation the the meeting.  Is this the way an organization seeks real solutions, by not listening to the people who have run successful programs?

The Santa Barbara MSN ordinance was based on fear, sympathy and perhaps political contributions (some task force members bragged they had made large contributions and the Supervisors would vote yes).   One could never base a YES vote on facts because there are none.

Instead of embracing programs that have worked, the County chose to put in place a model that has never fared as well as licensing, education and incentive programs.  The winners are the veterinarians because Dr. Ron Faoro, DVM and Task Force Chair made sure that only they can issue exemptions.  And if they decline to give an exemption, they will be right there to sell the S/N surgery.  The losers will be the additional owned animals that will die, the additional owned animals that will be surrendered and the taxpayers that will pick up the extra costs.

This is Heller's letter:

Spay-neuter does work

Thank you for your extended coverage of the recent Board of Supervisors hearings and vote on a new spay/neuter ordinance for dogs and cats. The ordinance will require that pet owners get a certificate from their veterinarian if they want to keep their pet intact. Its goal is to motivate people to spay or neuter their pets by getting them to think a little about the consequences of not doing so: namely, overcrowding and unnecessary deaths in our county’s shelters. Those who truly wish to keep their pets intact may do so simply by obtaining the certificate as part of their normal rabies vaccination/licensing process.

The good news is that the mere passage of the ordinance is already having its intended effect. The day after the vote, because of coverage by media outlets like the Journal, one of our local rescue groups got a call from the owner of two kittens: she’d read about the new law and was looking for information about how to get her kittens fixed. Those are two cats that will not be adding to the overabundance of excess kittens we have been seeing in the past few years!

It’s also important to let your readers know that if they want to fix their pet but fear that they can’t afford to do so, they are lucky to live in this county. Our three humane societies -- Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez Valley, and Santa Maria Valley -- all have low cost clinics, and in some cases fee waivers for those in need. Private cat rescue organizations such as Catalyst for Cats and VIVA (Volunteers for Intervalley Animals) will cover all costs for feral cats and in some cases, tame ones also. And CARE 4 PAWS is offering free spaying or neutering of any owned pet. For more information, readers should contact the organizations listed. CARE 4 PAWS, which currently runs its free clinics with the generous support of Buellton Veterinary Clinic, can be reached at (805) 968-2273.

Lee E Heller, Ph.D., J.D., Summerland

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MANDATORY SPAY AND NEUTER HEARING IN SANTA BARBARA

Today the Santa County Board of Supervisors heard testimony on the proposed mandatory spay and neuter ordinance proposed by Santa Barbara County Animal Services.  This ordinance would require dog owners to visit a veterinarian every time they wanted to license their dogs. It would be up to the veterinarian whether he or she judged the owner suitable to own an intact dog.  No ordinance guidelines have been suggested; it is totally up to the veterinarian’s opinion.

Speaking in opposition to the bill was Santa Maria Mayor Larry Lavagnino.  Santa Maria contracts with Santa Barbara County for animal control.   Mayor Lavagnino pointed out that while the number of animals processed by the Santa Barbara shelter has actually decreased almost 13% from 1998 to 2008, “Santa Barbara County’s bill to the City of Santa Maria has increased 247% in the same 10 year period.   Ten years ago they charged Santa Maria $145,000 and now they are charging us $503,000.  And we are at the tipping point.”  Lavagnino urged a program that focused on licensing since identified dogs don’t end up in the shelters.

 Also speaking in opposition to the ordinance was former County Supervisor Brooks Firestone.  He said that emotions rather than logic are prevailing in addressing this issue.  Firestone urged the Board to vote No.

Dr. Ron Faoro, who was also a sponsor of the failed AB1634, is the guiding light behind this ordinance.  He has stated that anyone has the option to try and convince their veterinarian that they should be allowed to own an intact animal.  His practice charges $71.00 for a visit and rabies shot.  This ordinance, if adopted, will be a huge financial boon to the Santa Barbara Veterinary community.   With only 50% compliance, the Ordinance would generate more than $11 million in income to the veterinary community.

Andy Caldwell, Executive Directive Director of Santa Barbara non-profit COLAB testified “something that makes the licensing program more expensive and complex is not going to increase compliance.”

The proposed ordinance is modeled on a Santa Cruz County ordinance.  Santa Cruz has had mandatory spay neuter for 15 years.  The dog euthanasia rate is 24%, the same as Santa Barbara County, and their cat euthanasia rate is 51% while Santa Barbara County’s is 38%.  Those in opposition point out that this is evidence that this approach does not work. 

The final vote on the ordinance will be held on December 1^st.

CDOC will have a table at the SLO dog show on Saturday.  If you are a resident of Santa Barbara County or if you have ever attended a dog show in Santa Barbara, please come by to complete a letter. 

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PENINSULA HUMANE DIRECTOR SPEAKS OUT ON SB250

San Mateo was the first city in the United States to try Mandatory Spay and Neuter.  They found that euthanasia went up in those parts of the County affected by the MSN law while it decreased in the other parts of the County.  They also saw licensing compliance reduce by 35% the first year.  

San Mateo now takes a different approach to this issue, using education and free spay and neuter programs.  And they have been steadfast in their opposition to MSN as they have personally seen the negative unintended consequences.   You will find Director Ken White's comments on SB250 interesting. 

http://tinyurl.com/ykahgqq

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HSUS and VICK

Like the politicians, the LA Times cannot wait to fawn and fall over Pacelle.  Pacelle is the man who refused to meet with Nathan Winograd because he could not be trusted.  Winograd, whether you like or dislike his approach, has spent most of his adult life working for animals.

While in Oakland two weeks ago, Vick was offered an opportunity by Bad Rap to visit some of the Vick fighting dogs being rehabilitated by that group.  He declined.  It's unlikely that who loves dogs and has to give them up ever turns down a chance to see them.  Michael Vick loves being out of jail, not dogs.  Certainly he paid the debt to society that the court dictated.  Does that make him a teacher or a role model?  Someone to be trusted?

It appears that fawning is not limited to the Times. 

latimes.com

Editorial

Michael Vick: a dog's new best friend?

The Humane Society's arrangement with the convicted football player deserves the public's support.

October 29, 2009

For its 11 million members, as well as millions more nonmembers that sport fur, feathers or scales, the Humane Society of the United States' public relations and legislative coups in the last few years have been cause for celebration.

Its undercover video of cows too sick to walk at a meatpacking plant in Chino led to a federal ban on the slaughter of "downer" cows for human consumption. It sponsored Proposition 2 in California, a successful ballot initiative mandating more humane treatment for chickens and other farm animals. And most notably, in 2007, it championed the prosecution of former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick for running a dogfighting operation in Virginia. The Vick case raised the organization's profile and that of its president, Wayne Pacelle, as he called for the Falcons to drop Vick, for Nike to sever ties with him and for passage of new state laws against animal fighting. Since then, 21 states have complied.

But after Vick served his 23-month sentence and the two men had lengthy conversations, Pacelle made a controversial decision: He decided to join forces with the football player and bring him on board as part of the Humane Society's anti-dogfighting program; Vick, now a player for the Philadelphia Eagles, spends some of his free time lecturing schoolchildren about animal cruelty. The move shocked and angered many society members who feel Vick deserves no quarter -- no matter how willing he is to atone. The images of dogs mauled and maimed are unforgettable, and the public was rightly horrified at Vick's callousness. And it is reasonable to question whether he is truly repentant or is simply using the organization to rehabilitate his image.

This page doesn't always agree with Humane Society initiatives, but the organization's partnership with Vick is a smart move. A pattern of cruelty to animals often starts at a young age -- Vick himself was exposed to dogfighting at age 8. The Humane Society, whose members tend to be white and middle class, doesn't have a lot of influence with inner-city kids, but in Vick it has found someone uniquely suited to educate them. There's little doubt that Vick needs the image boost this public-service stint can provide, but the society needs him just as much.

Pacelle, appearing tonight at a town hall meeting in L.A.'s Windsor Square neighborhood, probably will be confronted with questions about Vick, among other controversial topics; in California, the Humane Society is working to ban the hunting of mourning doves, much to the ire of hunters. It also wants to make cockfighting a felony and to crack down on puppy mills. The organization will be more successful in all of these ventures if it focuses on widening its public appeal -- and on trying to be at least as humane toward humans as it is toward animals. Vick has done his time and is in a position to do himself and fighting canines a lot of good. Society members should throw him, and Pacelle, a bone.

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AN UPDATE FROM LOUISVILLE

Reprinted with permission.  

While many have celebrated the announced resignation of Louisville's
disgraced shelter director, Dr. Gilles Meloche, others are worried that this
will bring a stop to the news cycle regarding him and the failed animal
ordinance he vehemently supported.

Not to worry!

To begin with, Meloche is not gone yet. Seems he's waiting for a new epoch
to dawn on the Mayan Calendar or some other heavenly signal before he takes
his leave at the end of this year. As we in Louisville know all too well,
two months is more than sufficient time to wreak havoc on our community and
our critters.

Besides, the current plan will hand authority over to a current
supervisor: Wayne Zelinski. This is far from an improvement as Mr.
Zelinski has been a disciple of Dr. Meloche for several years and is
well-schooled in his policies and procedures. This, despite having a
Masters of Public Administration degree and having been a former canine
officer in Florida.

There also remain some issues that have bee allowed to fester to the point
where the entire community is now demanding someone be held accountable for
how a man with no experience, a failed job history and guilty plea to 27
counts of dispensing anabolic steroids without proper recordkeeping made it
into the pool of candidates to be considered for the job to begin with.

Then, of course, there are other niggling problems: as being a US citizen
was a requirement for the job (Meloche is Canadian) and also a
requirement under Kentucky state law, how did that get overlooked? And,
when it was repeatedly brought to the attention of Mayor Abramson over the
past four years, why was it ignored? And, after Meloche went before a judge
and falsely swore under oath he was eligible to be a peace officer, why was
he not charged with perjury when he later "unswore" himself?

Then, of course, there's Meloche not telling the truth, the whole truth and
nothing but the truth in explaining his Canadian malpractice and steroid
cases when he applied for his veterinary license in Kentucky. That's going
to become an issue now that one of his announced possible new careers might
be....wait for it!....private practice veterinarian. This is the man who
did heart-sticks on kittens with no anaesthetic, sold FIP-infected cats and
parvo-infected dogs to an unsuspecting public and now wants to care for your
pet?

Following on the heels of that will be the civil suits being filed against
him by former contract veterinarian Dr. Kendall Clay and kennel manager Dawn
Simpson, both of whom he sexually harassed while under his employ.

And last (but certainly not least) this Friday there will be an announcement
of yet another Federal lawsuit being filed against Metro Louisville over the
Meloche-inspired failed animal ordinance. It promises to put this whole
issue right back where it belongs: center stage!

There's a lot of road left yet before we can all sing the words of that
great country song, "Thank God and Greyhound you're gone!"

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BEAUMONT CITY COUNCIL WANTS SB250 IN BEAUMONT-BE THERE TONIGHT

First of all, we are obviously talking about Riverside County here, not San Bernardino County.

They are basically planning on adopting SB250 with added mandatory mincrochipping for dogs and cats. If you can possibly attend, please do so. There will undoubtedly be speakers who will be eloquent. So if you are not comfortable speaking for the whole time, just fill out a speaker card and be a "me too" vote. They need to know you are there about this ordinance.

Remember - SB250 has no exemptions for

Dogs that get out once
Dogs that compete in events where they are not wearing tags.
Search and rescue dogs working off lead
Cadaver dogs working off lead
Service dogs that are off lead or on the wrong type of lead

Just like SB250, this would mean that if you ever violated any state rule anywhere they can demand that you sterilize your dog.

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BEAUMONT TO VOTE ON MSN

BEAUMONT TO VOTE ON MSN

Beaumont City Council to discuss mandatory spay/neuter Tuesday

Here is the information.

The Beaumont City Council is scheduled to adopt an ordinance that makes spaying and neutering pets mandatory when it meets Tuesday night.

The council approved the first reading of the ordinance two weeks ago.

The ordinance states, in part, that no person "shall own, keep, or harbor an unaltered dog or cat."

Under the ordinance, owners or custodians of unaltered dogs or cats must provide a certificate of sterility or obtain an unaltered dog or cat license.

The meeting is at 6 p.m. at the Beaumont Civic Center, 550 East Sixth St.

Dr. Allan Drusys will undoubtedly be there.  Here are some things to remember about Dr. Drusys whjo tries to get MSN instituted everywhere.  He made these statements to the Los Angeles City Council when he testified:

The reason MSN had not worked at any of the non-California locations was that it as never really tries.

MSN makes every animal more healthy

In other words, he does not exaggerate, he actually says untruthful things to have an impact.  His own City Council does not support MSN and would not support SB250.

It is important to be at this meeting tonight.

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