California Responsible Pet Ownership Act AB 1634 UPDATE...

recap of the bill:
AB 1634, the California Responsible Pet Ownership Act, is a common sense law to help combat pet overpopulation and bites.

~The law will allow law enforcement to target roaming dogs and cats, prevent unplanned litters and reduce attacks.

~The law requires that a dog or cat to be spayed or neutered, if the animal meets one of the following criteria:
The dog or cat is repeatedly impounded by animal control or cited for being at large.
The dog or cat is repeatedly cited for being unlicensed as required by current law.

what AB 1634 will NOT do:
- AB 1634 will NOT ALLOW police to arrest citizens for lack of compliance.
- AB 1634 will NOT ALLOW animal control officers to confiscate pets for lack of compliance.
- AB 1634 will NOT ALLOW animal control agencies or police personnel to enter private homes to write citations.
- AB 1634 will NOT INCREASE TAXPAYER COSTS – in fact, AB 1634 would do just the opposite by REDUCING the $250 million taxpayers spend every year for local animal control agencies to house and euthanize hundreds of thousands of animals.
- AB 1634 will NOT RESULT in a shortage of animals for adoption. In every location where spay and neuter laws have been adopted, there has still been ample homeless animals and mutts for adoption

UPDATE~8.22.08
Thanks to the tens of thousands of pet lovers across California who helped AB 1634 make history.

In the last few days, Assembly Member Levine amended AB 1634 to mandate a discounted microchipping program, thus jeopardizing an existing revenue stream for local governments. The amended bill would also have required a complicated new animal licensing structure.

Our coalition, along with our co-sponsor the California Animal Control Directors' Association, could not wholeheartedly support this last set of amendments, since they strayed too far from the bill's original purpose and would have resulted in less money for our shelters. Lacking our full support, AB 1634 was brought to the Senate floor this morning but did not pass out of the Senate.

This legislative session has elevated the issue of pet overpopulation to a front and center position in Sacramento, and across the United States. Our legislative work to help reduce pet overpopulation and our support of broad spay and neuter programs will continue. Thanks to each one of you and please check our website often as we progress in our efforts to protect California's dogs and cats.

Warm regards, Judie Mancuso President, Social Compassion in Legislation
Website: http://www.cahealthypets.com/