Scratchings-and-Sniffings

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Mandatory Spay Neuter Law in New Orleans Posted: 14 Jun 2010 09:59 AM PDT Just over a month ago the New Orleans City Council passed a law requiring dog owners to have their dogs spayed or neutered unless they apply for a special permit. The "Intact Dog Permit" requires a $10 application fee and an additional $20 a year. Proof of current vaccination is also required to get a permit. Owners of dogs must have them spayed or neutered within 30 days unless they are less than six months old.    As you can imagine, there was a fair amount of opposition to this ordinance. The AKC was opposed as was the local kennel club,many  breeders and some dog trainers. The NOLA SPCA and the local Humane Society were supportive.    I can understand some of the opposition to this new law. If you are a responsible breeder, as many are, your cost of doing business just went up and if you are the AKC you'll see fewer registrants from NOLA in the future. ON the whole though, I support such legislation. I wish it had included cats. Fully 60% of the dogs that end up in local shelters end up getting euthanized according to the bill's sponsors. Actually while that sounds bad, it seems good compared to the dismal statistics I hear from other metro areas. If this bill results in fewer unplanned litters, that's a good thing.   Intact male dogs are largely responsible for dog bites in addition to other bad acts associated with searching out females in heat. Apparently NOLA has a problem with dogs bred for fighting, too. If this rule or the permit process cuts down on any of that, I'm all for it.   I like some of the provisions for the intact dog permits, too. People who apply must agree not to breed before the bitch is 18 months old, have only one litter a year and not sell or adopt any puppies until they are at least 6 weeks of age. I like the vaccination and microchip requirement. Dogs will be healthier and there should be fewer strays roaming the streets.   While most responsible owners would do these things anyway, some would not and if this bill encourages better care, it will be a good thing.   I do worry about a few issues, though. How are they going to enforce this rule? And what about poor people? Will the law have the untoward consequence of dogs being abandoned or given up for adoption because a loving owner can't afford to comply? This could happen, especially in a place like New Orleans still recovering from Katrina and now suffering from the oil spill disaster in the Gulf.   This bears watching.

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