Spay law still stalls

It took more than two hours of discussion, but Huntington Beach inched a step closer to a mandatory spay and neuter law after Tuesday night’s City Council meeting.

On a 4-3 vote, the council asked city staff to draw up such an ordinance, following a proposal by Councilman Keith Bohr. City staff and animal rescue workers said the law would ease the overcrowding of shelters and save animals from being euthanized.

If the ordinance is later passed by the council, it would require any dog or cat more than 6 months old be spayed or neutered, as well as injected with an identifying microchip; there are exemptions for health problems, for competition animals and law enforcement and safety animals.

The first year of the program would be an education phase, with no enforcement; after a council review of the program at the one-year mark, Orange County Animal Care Services would then start requiring proof of sterilization before issuing licenses, and it would check for such proof when responding to public complaints.

The program is required to cost no more than $50,000 per year.

Dog breeders and owners of purebred animals said any ordinance requiring spaying, neutering and microchipping cats and dogs would punish legitimate owners without reaching scofflaws.

“The only thing that spay and neuter ordinance is for is the people that don’t take care of their dogs,” said Huntington Beach resident and dog exhibitor Warren Evans. “The people that are not responsible. If you do this, all you’re doing is going after the people that do take care of their dogs.”

Animal rescue workers said mandating good behavior was the only way to stop an endless flow of unwanted animals into shelters, where many are euthanized.

Council members were torn between powerful arguments. Several members said they were still unsure how to vote.

“I wish I could have been sick tonight,” Councilwoman Debbie Cook said. “I’d rather be sick than vote on this issue. I walked into this meeting not having any clue on how I was going to vote. I still don’t know how I’m going to vote. Everybody here has a point.”