TX-RPOA E-News From Responsible Pet Owners Alliance, the reasonable voice regarding animal issues in Texas. Responsible Pet Owners Alliance is an animal welfare organization, not "animal rights" and, yes, there is a difference. Permission granted to crosspost. December 21, 2005 Please thank Charlie Edgren for the El Paso Times editorial and cartoon on the folly of Title 7's recent passage in El Paso, TX. Title 7 mandates litter permits, canvassing private homes for compliance with Title 7, and mandatory microchips for dogs/cats -- all firsts in Texas. Opposition to Title 7 Revisions is being expressed by letters to the editor (See below.) El Paso, Texas, is the first nominee for our listing of "Anti-Pet Texas Cities." The Title 7 provisions should be rescinded. Letters to the Editor cedgren@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Published in El Paso Times El Paso, Texas First letter: Council promotes more privacy loss Once again City Council did not listen to voters. All of my pets are either spayed or neutered, in a fenced yard and provided food and water. They visit the veterinarian regularly. They are socialized with children, other dogs and old people. When I have them micro-chipped, it isn't going to make them better animals, me a better pet owner, them less likely to reproduce, happier or healthier. It will put me in a database with information for the government to keep yet another watchful eye on me. It allows the dogcatcher access to my property. You stop overpopulation by neutering and spaying, not microchipping. Poor people with pets running loose, ignorant people and irresponsible pet owners are the problem. They are not going to participate in this stupid program. Their pets are going to be picked up and killed. They are not going to pay large fines. Responsible pet owners are going to drink the Kool Aid, the program is going to be implemented, dogs are going to keep reproducing, poor families are still going to have litters of puppies and the responsible pet owners will pay the price. Nice going (councilman) Beto (O'Rourke)! John Billingslea East El Paso 2nd Letter: Microchip law another bad idea Since the new city ordinance requiring that pets be microchipped is linked to rabies vaccinations, did anyone stop to consider that this requirement will only serve to keep people who cannot afford the microchipping from vaccinating their pets? Did our City Council forget that El Paso is a poor city? How will people who are poor afford this? Actually, I would like to know how much this new ordinance is going to cost the taxpayers. The rabies tags record who owns an animal, so why is the microchip necessary? Why not just require that pets wear their tags? If the idea is to reduce the pet population, it will work. We may not have as many "lost" animals euthanized, but the number that will die from rabies, distemper and parvo will more than make up for that! El Paso has become "No-no Land." The City Council has passed ordinances for no fires, no watering, no mulberry trees, no smoking, no breeding of pets, and on and on, but apparently, I was out-of-town when the ordinance for "no brains" on the City Council was enacted. Peggy Kirk Upper Valley 3rd Letter to Editor: Bad law The passing of the new pet ordinance is only going to affect the pet owners who do vaccinate and care for their pets. As everyone knows, it is a law for pet owners to have their pets vaccinated, but so few do, and this ordinance will only affect those who do, and will decrease the numbers due to the increase in cost. Good job, City Council, you have now created a bigger problem. You couldn't control the vaccination problem. Do you think you'll be able to control the problem now? It will only double. As far as microchipping, which should be up to the owner, this will be another reason that pets will not be taken to the vet. Louis Avalos East El Paso ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------ Ginger Cleary, Rome, GA a rumor flies around the world while the truth is still putting it's shoes on.. http://www.rihadin.com ============================================================================ POST is Copyrighted 2005. All material remains the property of the original author and of GSD Communication, Inc. NO REPRODUCTIONS or FORWARDS of any kind are permitted without prior permission of the original author AND of the Showgsd-l Management. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ALL PERSONS ARE ON NOTICE THAT THE FORWARDING, REPRODUCTION OR USE IN ANY MANNER OF ANY MATERIAL WHICH APPEARS ON SHOWGSD-L WITHOUT THE EXPRESS PERMISSION OF ALL PARTIES TO THE POST AND THE LIST MANAGEMENT IS EXPRESSLY FORBIDDEN, AND IS A VIOLATION OF LAW. VIOLATORS OF THIS PROHIBITION WILL BE PROSECUTED. For assistance, please contact the List Management at admin@xxxxxxxxxxxx VISIT OUR WEBSITE - http://www.showgsd.org ============================================================================