Editorial: Attempt to defang local animal control

Tuesday, March 6, 2001 | 9:15 a.m.

Disturbing legislation recently was introduced that would take away much of the animal control authority that local governments currently have. Assembly Bill 208 would prohibit local governments from enacting animal control laws that are tougher than those already found in state law. The author of the bill, Assemblyman Tom Collins, D-North Las Vegas, contends that he is seeking the legislation because a local government in Illinois ostensibly sought to ban wrestling with bears. But the net result, according to Collins, was that it would have banned all animal wrestling, stopping even circuses and rodeos.

Collins maintains that his bill won't affect existing local ordinances, but one section of the bill does mindlessly ban any local government requirement that an animal be spayed or neutered. The Las Vegas Valley Humane Society also notes that Collins' billl would take away the authority of local governments to restrict the care of wild or exotic animals, such as lions or other potentially menacing animals. The fact is that if local governments wanted to tighten animal control, they couldn't do so if Collins' bill became law.

It isn't irresponsible for the Legislature to establish minimum requirements for local governments to follow in the area of public protection, which would include animal control. But restricting local governments from improving on these basic standards is misguided. The Legislature should kill Collins' legislation, which would gut the flexibility that local governments should have in order to meet their constituents' needs.