[accmemberdiscussion] MSN slated for Memphis, TN
- From: Djsdosido@xxxxxxx
- To: accmemberdiscussion@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 11 Aug 2010 16:28:40 EDT
_http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/aug/11/the-yelping-begins-over-ma
ndatory-spayneuter/_
(http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/aug/11/the-yelping-begins-over-mandatory-spayneuter/)
Memphis City Council panel recommends mandatory spay/neuter for cats, dogs
By Linda A. Moore
Posted August 11, 2010 at midnight
A City Council committee has recommended mandatory spaying or
neutering of cats and dogs.
The ordinance for cats over 6 months old and dogs weighing 30 pounds
or more was approved unanimously by a committee on Tuesday and will
move to the full council in two weeks for the first of three votes.
Owners of fertile animals would pay a $200 one-time fee, which would
authorize one litter per female dog during a 12-month period.The
ordinance, sponsored by Councilman Shea Flinn, makes exceptions for
police dogs, service dogs and working dogs.
They'd also pay a $35 annual license fee for fertile animals. Owners
of sterile animals would see that reduced from $15 to $5.
Flinn first proposed a mandatory spay/neuter ordinance for pit-bull
breeds in January. He had noticed a large number of pits and pit
mixes when he visited the Memphis Animal Shelter after an October law
enforcement raid there.
However, the breed-specific ordinance was scrapped.
"This is something I've been working on for quite some time at
various meetings with both supporters for mandatory spay/neuter and
(those) against," Flinn said. "I can say that they're all in
agreement that they're not too thrilled with this legislation, which
leads me to believe I've done my job very well."
Both Donna Malone, of Responsible Animal Owners of Tennessee, a group
that opposes a mandatory spay/neuter ordinance, and Cindy Sanders, a
member of the Animal Services Advisory Board, a body that favors a
mandatory ordinance, have problems with the ordinance as written.
Malone believes the city has a good license law that is not being
enforced.
"All of you who are out have seen animals running around singularly
or in groups. It's dangerous. We want people to be safe," she said.
But the additional fees on top of the cost to spay or neuter present
a "repressive approach" for certain segments of society, she said.
"There are people on low income or fixed incomes and they can in no
way meet these requirements," Malone said.
The animal advisory board supports the ordinance, but not the 30-
pound limit.
"Our overpopulation problem is due to unfettered mating out on the
streets. I do have a problem with the 30-pound limit," said Sanders,
co-founder of Community Action for Animals.
Flinn said a dog under 30 pounds could cause injury, but an animal
more than 30 pounds can kill.
The ordinance would be a secondary violation, Flinn said. Animal
control officers would not seek out intact animals and veterinarians
will not be required to enforce the ordinance, he said.
The public services and neighborhoods committee also approved an
amendment to the vicious-animals ordinance that would require a dog
that has bitten or attacked to be spayed or neutered within 30 days.
During the Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee meeting,
council members had asked for more details on the Memphis Police
Department's response to dogs running lose on July 18. The same dogs
attacked 71-year-old William Parker July 20 on North Manassas near
Poplar. Parker suffered a heart attack and died.
Sherry Wooten, 23, let the dogs out of an apartment at 235 N.
Manassas and has been charged with negligent homicide.
-- Linda A. Moore: 529-2702
Donna & the Dosido Gang
Remlap, Alabama
Visit me at _www.doublenickellife.blogspot.com_
(http://www.doublenickellife.blogspot.com/) and help support the Alabama
Canine Coalition by
shopping/searching through _http://www.goodsearch.com_
(http://www.goodsearch.com/)
and _http://www.igive.com_ (http://www.igive.com/)
Every year of dog love is worth seven years of the human stuff. (Michael
Rosen)
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