LAWFUEL – The Law Newswire – April 27, 2007 (California)
California sportsmen face advancing legislation that will put unnecessary hardships on sporting dog owners and outlaw the breeding of accomplished hunting dogs.
Assembly Bill 1634, which requires dogs over four months of age to be spayed or neutered, passed the Assembly Business and Professions Committee on April 24 by a vote of 7 to 3. The bill, sponsored by Lloyd Levine, D-Van Nuys, requires dog owners to have their dogs spayed or neutered at their own expense. Registered, purebred dogs are exempt from the requirement. The bill has been re-referred to the Committee on Appropriations.
“California sportsmen must turn the heat up on lawmakers,” said USSA Senior Vice President Rick Story. “Assembly Bill 1634 will cause unnecessary financial hardships on middle and low income sportsmen who will be forced to spay or neuter their animals, and will prevent people from breeding extremely accomplished sporting dogs simply because they are not purebred.”
Assembly Bill 1634 will also cause an unintended health concern for dogs and the public. There is a risk that individuals who do not comply with the new law will stop taking their dogs for veterinary care. Although the bill does not mandate that veterinarians report violators, some will fear citations and forego vet visits. As a result, the dogs will not receive regular inoculations that protect the animals and the public from disease.
The anti’s have marked California’s hound hunting traditions for elimination, but a vigilant sportsmen’s community continues to strike back.
“In recent years, California sportsmen have united to protect their hobbies and hunting interests, and it is time again to take action,” said Story.
