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StumblePet sterilization ordinance goes into effect Thursday
Volunteer Karin Lemmon uses a reader to check the number of an AVID (American Veterinary Identification Device) microchip after injecting it under the skin of a kitten at the Bonanza Cat Hospital Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009.
Thursday, April 1, 2010 | 2:49 p.m.
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An ordinance requiring that nearly all dogs and cats in the city of Las Vegas be spayed or neutered went into effect Thursday.
The ordinance applies to all dogs and cats over the age of four months. In addition to the spay-and-neuter provisions, the ordinance also requires that cats and dogs have tiny microchips implanted before being adopted or recovered from an impound.
The Las Vegas City Council adopted the ordinance in November in an attempt to reduce rampant pet overpopulation in city. Over the last three years there has been a 10 percent increase in the number of impounded dogs and a 5 percent increase in the number of impounded cats by the city of Las Vegas, according to city officials.
The ordinance includes the following exceptions:
• Animals being held by a shelter or other organization for adoption;
• Animals held by people with a fanciers’ permit;
• Animals that are incapable of breeding or are medically unsuited for the procedure;
• Service and law enforcement animals.
Animal Control will require verified documentation from a veterinarian indicating that a service animal is required for the pet owner and documentation that the animal has been through special needs training. Animals that are incapable of breeding must have a certified letter from a veterinarian.
The ordinance is similar to one adopted by the city of North Las Vegas. A Clark County ordinance is scheduled to go into effect May 1.
The city’s detention and enforcement chief, Karen Coyne, has said in fiscal 2009 the city impounded 19,682 animals -- more than 12,000 of which, or 62 percent, were euthanized.
Regionwide in 2008, 55,000 stray animals found their way to shelters. More than 30,000 were put to death.
The ordinance is in part aimed at so-called backyard breeders, who have been illegally breeding pets to turn a quick buck -- and severely adding to the overpopulation problems.
Violating the new ordinance would be a misdemeanor carrying possible fines of $225 for the first offense, $500 for the second offense and $1,000 for the third and subsequent offenses.
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It is about time! I am tired of backyard breeders and irresponsible pet owners adding to the ungodly number of homeless animals in the valley.
I saw a car recently in Henderson pull over in a parking lot trying to sell pitbull puppies. I told them to leave or I was calling the cops.
As if there are not enough pitbulls in town without these people adding to the population!
Total waste of time.... There is no way that this law can be enforced, and it will be ignored by all.
I fully intend to notify law enforcement whenever I know illegal breeding is taking place.
I know a lot of other people that will.
Most neighbors of these backyard breeders can't be happy about it either. I imagine enforcement will be a community effort.
Will not comply..government overreach
There are way too many abused & neglected pets that are held captive and cannot help themselves. I'd rather see a pet euthanized than mistreated. Definitely one area where some government intervention would actually be a good thing, remove the animals from abusive/neglectful owners and put an end to unlicensed breeding.
I cant wait for Henderson to finally pass their law as well. If you guys only knew what it was like to have to euthanize perfectly healthy dogs and cats every single day, then go on craigslist and see retards selling mixed breed puppies for $50 you'd know how frustrating it is.
Wow angryvoter, finally some common ground. Nice to see there's at least one important thing we can both agree on.
Impress me Vegas. My brother here had a totaled car (not his) parked in the driveway of the house he rents. (Belonged to landlady.) Was there for almost 3 years. Read that city code states no longer than 90 days or will be fined. Comedy!!
Is Fido in contempt if he doesn't submit to a package check.
rcknrll....
No Metro will be doing next to nothing unless they are called by a neighbor or a concerned citizen. It empowers them when they are faced with issues of hoarding, animal cruelty, and backyard breeders to deal with them effectively and do what's best for the animals.
rcknrll...
They respond to these calls now, but they've just been powerless to take action.
Law enforcement really isn't here to generate revenue. We never get our money's worth out of the Police Department. That's not their function. We need laws to criminalize animal abusers. We are far behind other states in this area.
anyone that is actually opposed to this law...is the exact reason to HAVE this law.
steve makes an excellent point,
Any decent person would see this law as progress. Even if you're not a pet lover, who with any self respect would want backyard breeders in their neighborhood?
Are there going to be door-to-door pet inspectors? Looking for vet records?
Don't think so. This is just going to mandate everyone get their pet fixed when they take them in for their annual shots. And not everyone can afford that so this ordinance is just going to discourage people from taking their pets to the doc. I fully support spaying/neutering pets, but I don't support ordinances slapped across the city without some logical thinking put into them first.
"Law enforcement really isn't here to generate revenue." - henderson
I have to take exception to with that in the case of motorcycle officers. They are used almost exclusively for traffic enforcement meaning traffic tickets and nothing else. They really do seem like little more than tax collectors most of the time.
The government always wants there hands in everything anyone does. you have to get permission to start a business, you have to get permission to drive your car and the list goes on. Next it they will want control on how many kids someone can have due to the overflow of foster homes.
Sorry boftx, you got me. I wasn't thinking about traffic cops, I was more referring to police being called out to people. You are exactly right.
nessy,
next thing you know they're going to tell you you have to buy health insurance.
Oh wait, that already happened.
This is really a thorny issue for me. I certainly agree that the goal is laudable. But the libertarian streak in me is screaming against it.
I love animals and whenever I hear the numbers of animals that are put down it always upsets me. With the exception of my first dog when I was a child all of my animals have been pound rescues.
I don't see any good solution to this as long as people refuse to take responsibility for their actions.
Here's my reasoning boftx,
I have come across so many situations and tried to save so many animals...some that have been cruelly chained to trees in backyards with no food & water surrounded by their own waste, being used for breeding. As it stands right now, Animal Control would do nothing more than force them to give them food & water, and they would leave. They had no jurisdiction unless it could be proven that these animals were chained for more than 12 hours per day.
At least now there are are laws that empower them to take serious action and remove these animals if necessary.
You know I am very conservative but animals need help...they are being severely abused in this town and I think any relief we can give them is a good thing.
I wonder, if this law is sucessful, can we apply it to welfare recipients, or at least the homeless? That would be one way to help control costs.
Responsible pet owners already spay/neuter/microchip their pets. Enforcement will take place when owners attempt to pick up their stray pets from Lied that have been taken there by a Good Samaritan or Animal Control. There will be many owners who can't afford the cost of the spay/neuter procedure and some who can't afford the microchip. They won't get their pets back (if the ordinance is strictly enforced.) Those pets will belong to Lied after three days. The pets that aren't adopted out or rescued will be euthanized. It will eventually reduce the pet overpopulation. Most people in the animal care industry believe that if you can't afford to properly insure the health and safety of your pet, you shouldn't own one.
Does it include chickens? The illegals like to keep fighting chickens.
@LasVegas2009
Does't include chickens. Ever try to spay or neuter a chicken? Although you actually can microchip them.
Animal Control did take about 200 fighting chickens from one property to Lied last year - although nobody claimed them.
Hope you're not a fan of pollo enchiladas.
I was going to suggest that I sure they could find a suitable use for any chickens confiscated.
In the 1800's the English used to ship thousand of Irish convicts to Botany Bay, Australia, 10,000 miles, to simply get rid of them?
Wouldn't it be fair to ship the 30,000 or so dogs to Korea from Las Vegas?? Rather than euthanize them? Sure they might end up on a restaurant menu, but at least they got to see the world...
Not that I would ever agree to it, but there is no need to ship them to Korea, Garden Grove, CA is much closer.
(For those of you who find this appalling, you might want to see what was going on at the county animal shelter when the boat people first started moving into Orange County).
Henderson, and tuasdad...
Couldn't agree with you more. 100%. The irresponsibility factor amongst pet owners in the valley is CRIMINAL! And EPIDEMIC!!!
I often muse to myself, "self, what the hell is WRONG with these pet owners? those poor, poor dogs, you've got cats running all over the damn place; WHY???
I would add that you dog owners that leave your incessantly barking mutts out all night and day to bother your neighbors ought to be left out all night and day until you start barking to be let in (but no one will let you.)
FOOLS!
agree with mike
re:Henderson
I applaude you on stopping them from selling pit bull puppies out of a car,, BUT I am a 2 tyme pit bull owner and was raised like they were my siblings and I think that pit bulls get a bad rap. It's the owners not the dog,, Any dog could be dangerous,,, German Sheppards scare me personally!!
The ordinance should also apply to Las Vegas City Council members as they have been deemed useless and arrogant. As far as the dogs go there pretty tasty(at least there useful)Ke-gogi!
If you're going to apply it to animals, apply it to all of them.
This is not only a stupid idea, its a REALLY STUPID IDEA.
Doesn't the the City of Las Vegas have more important things to worry about. Come on Mayor, get real.
Yes, this will be difficult to monitor but it is a good decision overall. Why don't we all volunteer to help law enforcement via neighborhood watch programs? Perhaps we can make a difference in our neighborhoods by picking up strays and taking them to the shelter. It's more humane than letting them starve or be abused. We won't see a difference overnight but in time our positive efforts will turn the tide for unwanted and abused animals.
d2ewchris,
There are responsible pitbull owners, and the ones I know would agree that pitbulls are among the most exploited breed of dog for the mere fact that they are mass produced and when they become big, out of control, and unmanageable from lack of training and attention, they are more prone to end up in a shelter, euthanized, or terrorizing people on the street.
Mike123 wrote:
"If you're going to apply it to animals, apply it to all of them."
That would certainly take care of a lot of the problems in North town.
New-ish research (2005-current) suggests that a dog spayed/neutered too young (before 12-18 months) is at a severely increased risk (+400%) of developing some of the most devastating (nearly all without available treatments) cancers.
For this reason, I will be happily breaking the new ordinance, and taking my chances at a fine. That being said, I'm a responsible pet owner. There should be an exception for owners who take the time and expense of a vet's recommendation of a delayed procedure. I highly doubt this will fall into the exception: "Animals that are incapable of breeding or are medically unsuited for the procedure."
Just another way to tax the masses for the reprehensible (and expensive) actions of a few. There has to be a better answer.
BLONDE- You should do more research.
Spaying females before their first cycle eliminates mammary tumors in female dogs. Less than 1% chance if a dog is spayed. Also uterine infections, and tumors of the ovaries or uterus. Mammary cancer in particular is very common in female dogs who are not spayed. Ovarian cancer and cysts, and uterine cancer.
Most unneutered male dogs experience prostate enlargement, prostate tumors and infections, tumors of the testicles, penis, and anal area, and are more prone to perineal hernias.
I have spayed and neutered every dog and cat I've ever had prior to 6 months of age and all of them have led long lives.
That being said, as long as your dog does not become a nuisance to anyone or escape your yard nobody is going to bother you.
There are exceptions that I'm sure your vet will help you with if you're that concerned. My vet is absolutely hellbent on spaying and neutering prior to their first year and most are.
Henderson -
I assure you, I've done immense research. The risk of cancers you mention - uterine, mammary gland, ovarian, prostate, testicular, etc. - are nearly ALL treatable with surgery at a later date (in many cases, as late as discovery of the tumor). I'm not suggesting that you never fix your pet, but having that surgery at 4 months will cause many dogs' health to be permanently & substantially compromised.
Small breeds are not affected by this as much as large breeds are, but are not entirely exempt. I've been a dog owner my entire life, as has my husband. Our rottweiler just died at 6 from multi-system hemangiosarcoma (extremely aggressive, NO treatment). Otherwise, she was "the healthiest rottie" our vet had ever treated. We had her fixed at 6 months, and will never know if that was a major or only cause. But, there is no way I'm getting another dog fixed so early, due to the overwhelming evidence against its safety.
Sources:
http://www.gpmcf.org/EnclosurePRDec2009....
http://www.gpmcf.org/
http://www.PetCancerAwareness.org/resear...
Are the firefighters included in this also?
Include it to all NV politicians.
we'll make great pets.
Now if only there was an ordinance to sterilize humans as well.
My wife, maybe, my gun, certainly, my dogs gonads, never!!!
It needs to start with the breeders, a clause in their sales receipt of the animal that the new owner MUST spay/neuter the animal and produce the necessary paper work or forfeit the animal back to the breeder. This will also cut down on the corner puppy mills that are popping up everywhere. APPROXIMATELY 10 MILLION ANIMALS ARE KILLED EVERY YEAR. Imagine taking a portion of the money it takes to fund the shelters to house/kill animals and apply it to a proactive solution. This is a much needed start, and a long time coming!!! Way to go Vegas.