California Assembly Bill 1634 - kill K-9 bill... vote it down!?

Question

We need your help to save police K-9’s. Please help COPS stop proposed legislation that will eliminate police dogs used for law enforcement and rescue activities.

The legislation, California Assembly Bill 1634 authored by Assemblymember Lloyd Levine has been craftily titled the “Healthy Pets Act” but the effect would be to force the surgical sterilization of all dogs and cats. Elimination of future police dogs would devastate police K-9 departments. AB 1634 would also eliminate many guide dogs for the blind and service dogs for the disabled.

Please sign our online petition in opposition to AB 1634.

The bill mandates all dogs and cats must be neutered at four months of age, with few exemptions. And the remaining pure bred animals with exemptions would be taxed and regulated by a newly created government bureaucracy. The legislation even threatens criminal penalties--just what we need--police arresting citizens for having unneutered cats and dogs!

Nearly all working police dogs were once somebody's pet dog. They are bought as young pups, placed with families, and then if they pass all the working and health tests, eventually they may end up with a police department. Neutering all non-breeding K-9’s will destroy law enforcements ability to have successful K-9 departments.

Without police K-9’s, our citizens will be more vulnerable to criminals and we will be unable to perform dangerous rescue operations in times of need. That’s why the United States Police Canine Association, the Western States Police Canine Association, the North American Police Work Dog Association and the Canine Specialized Search Team all agree with COPS in opposing AB 1634.

AB 1634 takes away the rights of law abiding citizens, discriminates against our disabled citizens, and creates new taxes and government bureaucracies. Please join us in opposing AB 1634.

Sign the petition to stop this here:
http://cops.cc/get_involved/petitions/ab_1634

To the person who wrote "people like you don't mention ways to solve the issue" - I hope you aren't speaking to me directly, because I am an advocate of spay/neutering animals and have voluntarily had ALL of my 4 animals 'fixed.' In fact, a new stray unneutered male cat decided to make my family his home, and I took him straight to the vet - not even knowing if I would wind up keeping him. I just figured I was doing the neighborhood a favor.

Having said that - however, I am against having the Government involved in my affairs. Just like I wouldn't choose abortion - but I don't think it should be outlawed. Government should stick with trying to thwart terrorists and criminals and keep their nose out of my personal affairs.

If we're trying to stop irresponsible people from owning pets they won't control - how about we limit the HUMAN's rights, not the K-9's. There ARE responsible people out there who can and should be allowed to care for and master K-9 breeds. But I agree whole heartedly that some people should only own rocks.

Answer 1

Working dogs are usually altered!! Another misinformation for all to get excited about. It is the best health wise for the pet to be altered.

Answer 2

I think perhaps you should read the bill. A lot of what you are saying is extremely hyped up when you actually go read the bill and what it states. Police dogs and other working dogs utilized by the state are exempt. Breeders can purchase a permit for keeping their animals intact, for a nominal fee (and I think that's as it should be). It will not be "hundreds of dollars" as you would like to have people believe. It will not effect anyone from any other state bringing their intact dogs in for dog shows, as the propoganda on the AKC website insists. And it pretty effective stops puppy mills, actually, not the other way around, which everyone should be rejoicing over. And even if the number of breeders dropped, it won't affect the K-9 police units at all - that's absurd. Dogs can always be brought into the state from out of state breeders. Many PA police dogs were brought into the state from a breeder in DE (and the statement that all police dogs were someone's pet is also absurd - some *may* have been, but the majority are purchased and raised for that purpose and that purpose only). This is all complete BS and hype. Rhode Island also has a mandatory spay and neuter law, and it works great. You don't see packs of homeless animals wandering their streets, and their euthanasia rate in shelters has dropped considerably. I think this is just trying to stir up panic so that people don't stop to get the full facts before opposing the bill.

Answer 3

I agree that this is not a great bill but it is not what many people seem to be attributing to it. Read the bill- it is only 4 pages long, and quite plain to read. Notably, section 3 lists exemptions, e.g: (intact permit will be issued if)
(4) The dog is owner provides proof to the local jurisdiction or its authorized local animal control agency that the dog is being trained, or is documented as having been appropriately trained, and actively used by law enforcement agencies for law enforcement and or rescue activities.

There is also an exemption for service dogs, and there are also breeder permits, but the dogs must be active show dogs. This rules out puppy mills, which is probably the main intent of the bill.
Additionally, the funding raised by the permit and fines of the proposed law will be set aside in part to enable low-cost S/N for low income families.

The claim that there would be criminal penalties is just false: from section 2:
" Subject to subdivision (c), any
person who violates subdivision (a) shall, for each animal for which a violation has occurred, be subject to a civil penalty of five hundred dollars ($500) for each applicable period of
noncompliance, as set forth in paragraphs (1) and (2). This
penalty of five hundred dollars ($500). This penalty
shall be imposed in addition to any other civil or criminal penalties
imposed by the local jurisdiction. "

i.e. the bill does not call for arrests unless the municipality would have done so already.

While I tend to agree that this bill is overreaching and a bit 'mommy state', it might be a good hin to raise public awareness, if nothing else.

It is unclear how this law would be enforced, since it i left up to 'local animal control agencies' to enforce. In some municipalities, that is the police, in some it is a separate agency. Many places already require annual dog licences/ rabies shots. Pet overpopulation is a burden on society- shelter animals are put down by the thousands every day. For certain applications, breed standards are necessary- but not for pets.

Answer 4

I Have signed it and sent it to everyone in the breed clubs I belong to.

I do not know where some of you live but finding a puppy in a shelter or pound where I live is difficult. The way to combat the problem is by education (which is working) not by sterilizing all dogs and cats at four months old. People really need to wake up and realize that the government does not need to control everything thing in our lives. You know I find it interesting that people claim that this will end euthanasia in shelters because it is usually adult dogs and cats that are there due to the owners inability to keep their animal. There is an owner retention problem not over breeding problem. We live in a disposable society so no matter how many animals are sterilized it will not change the fact that when people grow tired of their pet or get interested in something else they will still just dump their pets.

Answer 5

Bozema -- it may not affect *currently trained and working* police and service dogs, but where will the future generations come from, especially if the dogs have to be spayed/neutered by 4 months of age? How can you possibly know that a puppy that young will one day come to be a stellar police dog, worthy of reproducing its drive and work ethic? Those wonderful K-9 dogs came from somewhere!

What about the dogs that produce excellent guide dogs, but are not themselves guide dogs? They would not be exempt if they aren't working. Guide Dogs for the Blind has a breeding program that does not involve only its own trained Guide Dogs (in fact, I think the actual Guide Dogs are spayed/neutered).

While I feel for the shelter workers (having dealt with it myself), and I understand the homeless dog/cat problem is an issue in CA, this bill is NOT the "magic bullet"!

Answer 6

>>>The proposed law exempts dogs bred as police dogs and service dogs. It does not prohibit breeding by responsible breeders.<<<

The only exemption under the law as written will be for commercial breeders - yes the dreaded puppymills. When a dog has to be neutered by 4 months of age, it is too young to be a show dog, hunting dog, service dog, guide dog, police dog, or whatever other kind of dog is exempted.

And 4 months is too young to be neutering a dog. Those who have done some research on the subject, instead of simply believing the AR propaganda, have learned that spay/neuter is not necessarily as healthy for the dog as it's promoted as being, and may even be detrimental to the dog. Early S/N even more so.

I am still a supporter of spaying and neutering, but I think it should be done with full awareness of the pros and cons, and I think it should be the decision of the dog owner, not the government.

And yes, as stated above a leash is great birth control. In many european countries dogs are never altered unless there is a medical reason, and they don't have the population problems we do here.

Answer 7

I signed it!!!!
Everyone Please Sign it!!!
Send it to all your friends in an email!
Get everyone to sign it!
Californians deserve better treatment than this!!!
Not being allowed to let a dog have a litter ever! It is preposterous! Where do they think dogs come from? How much is all this surgery going to cost? How many people will just say forget it and let their dogs loose and NOT give them to AC?
What will California Tax payers have to spend rounding up abandoned dogs and killing them because they became sickly in the woods?
This is an AR bill

Dee the people that "supply" police dogs are NOT licensed to hold intact permits and they NEVER will be. The ARs are trying to get RID OF ALL DOGS.
The dogs that give birth to police dogs will have had hysterectomies and the sires will be castrated hence end of supply... How do you say GENOCIDE?


The ARs are importing dogs just to make shelters look full.

San Jose issued a new proposal, no one will be able to have an intact dog that is not 250 feet from the next property line.

That would mean that NO one can have an intact dog unless they own a 2 million dollar home.

Get real... even the police are against it... you think maybe they're right???

Hey can we neuter Lloyd Levine now??

Answer 8

This is crazy. That is what I have been talking about all this time with all these people here screaminga nd yelling about "fixing" every dog they come into contact with. This is ridiculous, absurd, I am not sure I have the right words here for it without going to the extreme. I hope some of the groups here are happy about this "wonderful news. If this passes, there goes all of the working dogs serving mankind.

Add. Just as expected, the humaniacs came out in force. I am also appaled by the answers here. Some people have it right. "Fixing" a dog is not the answer, being responsible is. But being responsible also takes a certain degree of testicular fortitude, something that is lacking here. Think people, all working dogs will be affected, police dogs, bomb dogs, drug dogs, guides for the blind, hearing dogs, etc. And all you can talk about is shelter animals.

Answer 9

I've signed, even though I don't live in CA anymore! (Used Mom & Dad's zip code ;) )


I'm absolutely appalled and shocked by the number of ignorant answers from people that are FOR this law! (I guess I really shouldn't be...It is Y.A. after all!). Do people not realize that if this law passes, ALL BREEDS will be severly affected?! With only puppy-millers allowed to breed, all breed standards will go straight out the window!

Answer 10

The proposed law exempts dogs bred as police dogs and service dogs. It does not prohibit breeding by responsible breeders.

400,000 dogs and cats are euthanized in California shelters every year - over 1,000 every day - because there aren't enough homes. It's sickening. I'm open to other solutions but people like you don't talk about other ways to solve the real problem - pet animal overpopulation. Never mind the toll on shelter workers who have to do this terrible job.

Response - I'm glad you are responsible and get your animals spayed and neutered - mine are as well. Not everyone is as responsible. The reality of our County shelters is awful. One of our county shelters is filled with pit bulls because irresponsible people breed them and no one wants the puppies - most end up euthanized. The shelters have to put entire litters of kittens down. When you have witnessed this, you get sick of it. I don't love all aspects of this legislation but I feel like we are at the point the government has to do something because there are too many irresponsible people who just don't care.

Answer 11

Thanks, When will people learn that mutilating animals for human sins is not okay... I have a leash and it prevents my dog from getting pregnant.

I think these people should focus on the irresponsible owners and not the responsible ones.