| Last night I had a conversation with a new | | | | revoked and all animals removed and placed in a |
| acquaintance. He told me he had two cats that | | | | shelter for adoption. They would not be able to |
| were about to "pop" (i.e. give birth). When I asked | | | | obtain a new license. The number of animals |
| him why he had not spayed his cats he said, "It's | | | | available for sale would be based on supply and |
| too expensive". This man lives alone in a 6,000 | | | | demand. If the number of available animals was |
| square foot home, owns other acreage and | | | | low, breeders and pet store owners could make |
| collects cars, and yet he was not willing to spend | | | | more money on each pet sold. The people who |
| $100 per cat to prevent unwanted births. He said, | | | | bought the animal may have to pay more for |
| "It is not a problem; I give the kittens away at | | | | their pet and therefore are more likely to value |
| the grocery store". Regrettably his attitude and | | | | and care for it. |
| actions are typical, and place a huge burden on | | | | 4. Cities would be fined by the federal |
| animal lovers, as well as state and local | | | | government for not capturing strays. Initially, the |
| municipalities that must deal with large populations | | | | federal government would subsidize state and |
| of unwanted animals. Each and every year we | | | | local municipalities so they could add staff to |
| euthanize 4 to 10 million domestic companion | | | | humanely trap strays. Regrettably, the number of |
| animals. Most of these are adoptable dogs and | | | | stray animals euthanized during the first two |
| cats. In my opinion, over population is preventable. | | | | years of this program would be high. Shelters |
| Below are 5 suggestions that could radically | | | | would be very crowded; however, it would end |
| change the fate of abandoned and unwanted | | | | the cycle and costs of stray, unwanted animals. |
| animals. Implementation and enforcement of | | | | After the initial capture of strays, the cities and |
| these "laws" would cost less and be far more | | | | state would be responsible for maintaining a no |
| humane, than our current system of maintaining | | | | stray policy. States that did not comply would be |
| private and public animal shelters. | | | | fined by the federal government. |
| 1. Require a License. Anyone who wants to breed | | | | 5. Anyone adopting or buying an animal would |
| animals (or is too cheap to spay or neuter a pet) | | | | have a 48 hour wait period. People would go to |
| would be required to purchase a license. The | | | | the pet shop, look for a pet, and once they |
| license would cost at least $1,000. A number | | | | selected a specific pet they would fill out an |
| would be issued and the license would have to be | | | | application and pay a nominal fee. The pet store |
| updated annually at a rate determined by the | | | | owner would provide a sheet to the prospective |
| state municipality. Anyone not licensed and found | | | | buyer, on the annual costs of pet care, and |
| with new companion animal offspring would be | | | | provide a list breed specific needs. The buyer |
| fined $1,000 for each litter and all animals would | | | | would leave without the animal and the pet store |
| be seized immediately and brought to a shelter | | | | would run a criminal background check to insure |
| where they would be spayed, neutered and | | | | the buyer was not a prosecuted animal abuser. |
| placed with a responsible guardian (i.e. new | | | | The pet would be placed on hold at the time of |
| owners). If the fine was not paid, it would be | | | | application. 2 days later the buyer would have the |
| attached to the property just like a mechanic's | | | | right to purchase the animal. If the buyer did not |
| lien. | | | | appear on the pick up date, the pet would come |
| 2. Limit how animals could be sold. The sale of all | | | | off hold and the pet store would keep the pet |
| animals would be limited to regulated pet stores. | | | | application money. This would insure people |
| Anyone caught selling an animal on the street, | | | | purchasing pets had been informed of what they |
| through the paper or over the web would be | | | | were getting into. |
| forced to do a minimum of 30 days of | | | | I realize these original ideas have many potential |
| community service. Pet stores would need to | | | | problems. Some breeders and people with stray |
| maintain an annual log of the number of pets | | | | animals would shoot the overage of any litters or |
| produced by a licensed breeder and turn these | | | | kill animals inhumanely, millions of stray animals |
| records over to the state. | | | | would be euthanasized, and people would break |
| 3. Breeders would have a specific number of | | | | the law. But these tragic events already occur on |
| animals they could produce each year. For | | | | a daily basis. If we could adopt any of these |
| example a breeder might be authorization to sell a | | | | policies we could reduce the burden of stray |
| total of 50-55 dogs to the pet stores. Since litter | | | | animals from kind hearted individuals, as well as |
| size varies, there would need to flexibility, but the | | | | federal and state budgets, and place the burden |
| breeder would have a limit. Any breed who fell | | | | where it belongs-on breeders, pet shops and |
| out of compliance would have their licensed | | | | people who refuse to spay or neuter their pets. |