Why is AB1634 such a terrible law? What can concerned pet owners do to prevent it from passing?

Answer 1

In addition to what Animal_Artwork said, I think spaying and neutering are a wonderful thing, and the majority of pets should be spayed/neutered. With that said, I don't think the government should be the one to regulate this. Animals are property, no matter how you feel about them, my dogs are my property and valued members of my family. I don't think the government should have any say what I do with my property. Yes it would be nice for them to be able to take action where it is warranted, but what if my neighbors don't like me or my dogs? If they call animal control on me simply because they don't like me I could have my dogs taken away unfairly. That is what this will lead to. Arbitrary enforcement of nonsensical laws. Both of my females are spayed, my male isn't due to health issues and I'm not willing to risk his health right now as I can't afford it if there are complications. I do believe in spay and neuter, but I think it's something that should be MY decision on whether I want to do it and when. I couldn't find anything on the official website that says how the laws will be enforced, or what will happen if you don't comply... I also read that as for breeder exemptions, anyone that charges and pays taxes on their sales is eligible for exemption. I'm not experienced in this, but I don't know of any good breeder that charges tax on a puppy. I could be wrong, but I know for a fact that puppymillers charge tax on their puppies. So they will still be eligible for exemption.... I think this law will punish responsible owners and only them.. irresponsible owners that let their dogs breed aren't likely to care or comply anyway.

This bill is being backed by the HSUS among other similar organizations... another step in eliminating pets altogether...

I feel education is FAR more important than legislation. Why cant they spend money on education classes in middle schools or even before you can buy or adopt a pet?

Stopping it: write your legislators, again and again and again, write them once a week. Join groups that are against this sort of bill (for the right reasons), bug the HELL out of your legislator with valid arguments.

Answer 2

I would change the breeding practices. Many nice breeds have been bred to show off their qualities to the extreme which causes medical issues (think giant breed like the St. Bernard who as too big for their hearts, basset hounds who's backs are WAY too weak, I could go on and on...) I would also have people more educated and less judgemental. For instance, I used to have a large (150 lb) dog who was also very alpha dog and would fight to assert that right. Obviously, we used a prong collar too keep control when we took her out and frequently used a muzzle too. A lot of people would judge and beleive we were being cruel ( if you don't know what a prong collar is, well it DOES look kind of scary and painful)-- ummmm not so much. Instead we were protecting the other dogs from our own. I would prefer people suspend judgement until they learn the full story. That way you could separate the cruel idiots from the responsible owners more easily. On the same note, I wish people were more ready to accept that their dogs aren't perfect. I know many people who have aggressive dogs, but will take them out without a leash and expect them to act just fine around scared little kids. Owners need to be responsible and if their dog isn't well mannered and trained, keep them on a leash with all other necessary precautions. Also, I've seen SOOOOOO many dogs that can't walk on a leash without pulling, but their owners are STILL using only a normal collar to walk their dog! what is this? if you are being dragged all over, use a choke chain!!! it doesn't hurt the dog for gods sake! I also wish that all dogs were kept in a home where they can go outside regularly and didn't have to be kept inside while their owners were at work for 10 hrs or other such things. it seems excessive and unnatural. sorry this turned into a bit of a LONG rant. I guess I had more to complain about than I thought. I've had dogs my entire life, so I can train my dogs well and am willing to evaluate them based on who they are not who I want them to be, and I wish more owners could do that too. There are too many first time owners around lately and they just don't know better I guess. Add to that the shortage of knowledgeable, lifetime dog owners and you have a bunch of newbies with no resource base= disaster waiting to happen. Plus all the breeders I've met are crazy. No offense meant- just what i've seen so far.

Answer 3

Here's the link to the official bill
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/asm/ab_1601-1650/ab_1634_bill_20070703_amended_sen_v92.pdf

The licensing and such isn't really as scary as the fact that each jurisdiction can set their own amount for how much it costs for an 'unaltered' permit for each animal..
The other thing I don't like, is that right under that specific section, it states that portion of the bill is only valid until 2012. Then what happens? Then there are no exceptions for breeding?

I'm all for preventing the animal population problem. I work with a cat rescue myself and from time to time with the local shelter..
I'm up in western NY where our first SPCA's started up nearly 100 years ago. We've been altering almost every animal that lleaves a shelter here for over ten years.
We're no-kill for dogs at the open-admission shelter and almost were no-kill for cats last year..
That's without any laws banning breeders!
That's just teaching people and altering the animals that leave the shelters..
I don't believe in infringing on other's rights unnecessarily.. Accurate education should always be the first option..

Here's a group fighting it..
http://www.ab1634.com/index.htm

Answer 4

This bill, with a new number and in a different State, was recently passed in San Antonio, TX. I don't doubt that other major cities in Texas will try and pass similar laws and it concerns me greatly. It starts with animals and where does it end? Why should any one decide for me, as an adult, what kind of dog I should own or whether or not to spay or neuter it? I do believe in spaying and neutering animals. Heck, I believe in birth control for people, too, for that matter. But a law that demands it or only allows rich people to breed, that would be wrong.
Some argue that since there are animals in shelters that are abused and abandoned, therefore, no one should be breeding dogs or cats because so many are put to death or die due to neglect, abandonment, etc.
Following this line of "reasoning", because there are children dying in the world, orphaned, poor, roaming streets, diseased, uncared for, assassinated in the streets of countries like Brazil, therefore, all people capable of reproduction, should not be allowed to reproduce unless they are rich and get government permission. Any people not qualifying will be sterilized. No children of your own until all irresponsible people stop popping out kids they can't take care of.
It's insane. INCENTIVES and NOT LEGISLATION is what should be used to encourage people to spay and neuter!
Government making laws and leaving it up to popular vote, about things like what dogs people can own, which should be allowed to breed and all others... A L L O T H E R S should be sterilized.
Why? because there are people that aren't responsible or their religion doesn't allow for population control.
This is getting scary. Every time I see reports on "Dog Attacks" I cringe. The media is out for blood when laws are being suggested and almost daily there are reports on a certain breed. Then it's quiet for a long time. I, for one, am tired of the media (which is more like Star Magazine now) and government manipulating the public so laws that are draconian can be enacted.
I am about ready to apply for citizenship to the LaKota Nation.

Answer 5

Unfortunately, it's already been stopped. It did not pass.

I don't see why it was so bad. It was the perfect law! All dogs spayed/neutered unless they have a permit. The law could have been passed, and from then on revised if people protested. For example, I know some working dogs would have died out if they were all spayed and neutered b/c they were mixes. If the law was passed and enough people petitioned to allow certain evaluated mixes to get permits, I'm sure they would have.

EDIT: I realize now I was ignorant of the law, until I was able to read the full law (courtesy of above answerer). I think the law had excellent intent but must revise it. The gene pool will shrink dramatically because only rich people will be able to afford intact dogs--most reputable breeders aren't, because they put so much $$ into the health & wellbeing of their dogs.

Answer 6

The AB1634 law is about pets who have to get Spayed and Neutered and if they don't do it there is a 500.00 fine. People that have Pure Bred dogs and they Breed them they will have to show a Permit of some type of paper work to show that they Breed their dogs. Here are some links that will tell all about it.

http://www.dogplay.com/Articles/MyArticles/AB1634_counterpoint.html

http://www.cahealthypets.com/faqs.htm

They changed the age to be spayed and Neutered.

It did not pass last year and this year they are going to put it back up and it will be back on the Ballet.

Answer 7

AB 1634 requires that all dogs be spayed or neutered by six months of age unless the dog qualifies for a special permit. Many working dogs in California would not qualify. If all these working dogs are spayed or neutered, then they would become extinct. Here are some stories about how AB 1634 would hurt specific working dogs. This is not very good at all even though my dogs are spayed.

Answer 8

A Law such as this can only be passed if the people keep supporting the indignity of neutering and spaying. Every minor ailments is miraculously cured by having a bltch spayed and aggressive dogs will calm down after being neutered. Total poppy-c*ck but that is PEOPLE'S ACCEPTED VIEWS!

So you come to the next stages, where the dog haters and the over protective shelter community, who deal with suffering animals all the time, can stand it no longer, watching endless cruelty and insist on population control.

How very interesting that I mentioned about this continued activity and dogs will become extinct before you say STOP! So here you have it, the result of the arrogance underlying in society and people who consider themselves all knowing and better than nature itself.

Whilst in the Far East Dogs end up on people's dinner plate and are raised in the most sickening and cruel circumstances. People only have themselves to blame and this is the bottom line. They destroy entire Rain forests, without giving it a whimper of a thought. Just so they can build properties and make pots of loot. Humans really are a 'sad' excuse of a species. Well in China they did enforce birth control and if you had more than one child, you were punished in ways than ended up them killing their own, especially girls, children.

As long as the world does not respect our natural environment and all living beings as part of our Eco System, which supports human life and protects it, why would the Human Laws respond otherwise? This is the reality of Eternal Causality. We are the individuals with the choice to 'choose life', whilst making the CAUSES to change it. Buddhism is very clear on these issues and why the Rissho Ankoku Ron a letter written in the 13th Century under the severest of circumstances by a person living in conditions that were really harsh. To establish Peace in the Land based on the TRUE LAW of MYOHO RENGE KYO!

I recommend that each one who has read this article, takes these matters to heart and contacts the local Temples in USA, where believers can help you to understand the doctrine of Nichiren the Daishonin, as protected by the Fuji School aka Nichiren Shoshu Japan.

Being nice, doesn't always work. To live in the world of TRUTH can be difficult and even painful, but only a coward walks away from his/her own fear. Yesterday Benazir Bhutto paid with her life for the people of Pakistan. To enforce such laws as democracy. When you have to oppose Big Brother, you need wisdom and a source of grace that allows you to maintain strong and be in control of the mind. The mind controlling the environment, rather than the environment controlling the mind.

This Law is not only sick and crazy, but entirely disrespectful towards the Nation of pets who are deserving of a life which is theirs to keep. Quite rightly put, EDUCATION is the only way forward, but it is slow and living in a world where people basically do not like one another, try to gain one over the other, economically controlled, those breeders with the money are laughing.

How many of you saw the Oprah show where she was supported by the Bank of America (I think) and each person in the public was given a camera with $1,000. Some made this amount grow to $200,000 by getting the entire community involved. It is time that we asked Oprah to set up a show on behalf of our dogs. She has a dog and will be very supportive of such a proposal, considering the madness certain legislation may cause. I imagine that Cesar Milan would gladly participate as would Professor Dame Jane Goodall to mention but a few experienced and respected professionals in the animal world.

If it weren't so far for me to come, I'd offer my services, because this is one of my biggest pet projects. The art of protecting the Pet Culture and how to communicate with one's animals. The key issue one has to bear in mind that ALL PEOPLE must be respected in this dialogue and where EGOS are NOT WELCOME. This is extremely difficult and more Jerry Springer style, but for the sake of these dogs, perhaps those representing the animals will find the strength of composure.

Answer 9

I'll try to be brief.....

Its a terrible law because:

it makes it nearly impossible for responsible hobby breeders to continue breeding high quality dogs effectively

it will decrease the gene pool of well-bred dogs because law-abiding people will spay/neuter their animals (instead of allowing responsible breeders access to them- it is a relatively common practice to place males as pets and yet still breed to them)

only commercial breeders and people with money will be able to afford to keep intact dogs- decreasing the genepool

prices for ALL pups will skyrocket and a blackmarket in pups will develop

diseases will increase as people will be fearful of taking their illegally intact animal to the vet for vaccinations

animals will die because people will be afraid to take their pet to the vet when it is ill

bone diseases, especially in large/giant breeds will increase tremendously due to early spay/neuter


What we can do: Write to legislators in California. I've already written several informing them that I will cease attending any functions in that state (including dog shows). I also refused to sell a puppy to someone in that state (and spent time talking to her about WHY).

Realize that the provisions for "working dogs" and "show dogs" are not enough. Often these same dogs have come from stock that did not work or show.

This is a matter of just how much say do YOU want the government to have over your property and your household. Breeding licenses will be handed out to those deemed worthy... anything that subjective is going to have abuse... and what if the licensing authority doesn't LIKE you?

Edit: catsndogs: I've pulled dogs out of shelters to train as Service Dogs- HOWEVER- the best dogs are the dogs BRED and raised from birth to do it. My own Service Dog's mother would have been subject to being spay/neutered... at least 3 Service Dogs she or her pups produced would have been eliminated.

Dogs are in shelters because of IRRESPONSIBLE owners who did not train them, did not monitor their reproduction and are not taking responsibility for the dog's life. They are NOT in shelters because of responsible breeders.

*I* might not be able to afford to breed the very limited quantity of pups I produce if I were subject to such a law. This would impact a breed with a limited gene pool and would impact people who get my Service Dogs when I am done training them.

I believe: If you breed, rescue... if you don't rescue, don't breed.

Answer 10

Insist on a rider that a like fate befall
politicians on election to public office.