[ SHOWGSD-L ] UPDATE: San Antonio's Chapter 5 Animal Ordinance Revision
- From: "Ginger Cleary" <cleary1414@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "Showgsd-L@Freelists. Org" <showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 23 Oct 2007 00:34:23 -0400
Ginger Cleary,Rome, GA ww.rihadin.com
The essence of Government is power; and power, lodged as it must be in human
hands, will ever be liable to abuse. ? James Madison
Member GSDCA
Member Sawnee Mtn Kennel Club
GA Director Responsible Dog Owners of the Eastern States.
-----Original Message-----
Permission granted to crosspost.
October 22, 2007
UPDATE: San Antonio's Chapter 5 Animal Ordinance Revision
Report on City Council's "B Session" on October 17, 2007
The Animal Care Services Advisory Board has completed their work on the
ordinance revisions. We were able to obtain a few minor changes there:
1)
Free pet licenses with Differential Pet License Fees deleted; 2) Bond
requirement for impounded dangerous dogs deleted; 3) Animal Care Services
director authorized to waive fees and fines at his discretion and 4) $25
Fee to turn in an animal at Animal Care Services was deleted.
However all our major objections still remain: 1) Mandatory Spay/Neuter
of
all outdoor cats and all dogs over 6 months unless an Intact Dog Permit is
purchased; 2) Mandatory Spay/Neuter on second impoundment and for Excess
Animal Permit; 3) Litter/Breeder Permit; 4) New Pet Limits, Livestock
and
Domestic Fowl Limits with new permits and fees. These fees penalize every
animal owner in the city, not the irresponsible pet owners.
The City Council was presented the latest draft of the ordinance revisions
at a "B Session" on Wednesday, October 17. Citizens weren't allowed to
speak. All day Wednesday Animal Care Services (ACS) was quoted on the
radio
assuring listeners there is no Mandatory Pet Sterilization in this
ordinance. The presentation to the council was as expected from city
staff
who want this to pass. We believe the RPOA FAX IN Day was a success as
many
reported they couldn't get through at all. Remember however that both
sides
were probably sending faxes!
Due to two so-called "Pit Bull" bite incidents recently, the council
members
expressed interest in the new Dangerous Dog revisions. There is a hue and
cry from the public and the media for a "Pit Bull" Ban in San Antonio so
RPOA will be working on this also. State Representative Joaquin Castro
has
said he has received many phone calls and will introduce a bill on the
state
level next session to address this.
To their credit there were many questions asked by the council members;
one
being how this ordinance would be enforced and Jef Hale, ACS director,
said
it would be by "complaint only." His statement is in direct conflict with
what the ordinance rewrite committee was told by Hale - that the animals
in
noncompliance would be picked up by ACS. One councilman said he didn't
want
anyone's dog taken away. Hale told them he gets enough animals and won't
be
doing that - there will be warnings, etc. Some council members said that
they didn't want more animals killed at ACS which RPOA claims the
ordinance
revisions will cause. Obviously the council is reading our opposition
letters.
One councilwoman asked if they were prepared to handle all this required
pet
spay/neuter and Deputy City Manager Pat Di Giovanni admitted they were not
at this time - not having enough available facilities.
During the presentation one councilman came over to Mary Beth Duerler,
knelt
by her chair and asked what RPOA objected to. When told, he then asked
Jef
Hale about enforcement of the Intact Dog Permit and asked if this had
passed
in other cities. Hale told them, yes - in various forms. Another
councilman asked Hale what did he feel was the most contentious section in
the ordinance and Hale responded "the Intact Dog Permit." Fact is that is
not the only contentious provision!
RPOA met with one councilman personally and spoke briefly with several
others and the mayor before the B Session began. Some have requested more
information and RPOA is attempting to schedule private meetings with each
one.
The ordinance will now go to a city committee and then back to the council
for a vote soon with no date set yet for their vote.
At this time everything is up in the air - 50/50. It could go either way.
If you want to help, please email to the city officials below. Out of
city/state emails are very helpful as tourism is a major industry in San
Antonio. There are many animal events held in San Antonio each year.
Just
tell them San Antonio will be added to the list of anti-pet cities in the
US
if this passes and you'll no longer vacation here.
mayorphilhardberger@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
maryalice.cisneros@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
district2@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
district3@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
district4@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
vsalazar@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
district6@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
district7@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
diane.cibrian@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
kwolff@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
john.clamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
citymanager@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
PDiGiovanni@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Responsible Pet Owners Alliance
900 NE Loop 410 #311-D
San Antonio, TX 78209
Phone: (210) 822-6763
Website: www.responsiblepetowners.org
$15 Annual dues (January - December)
To share information, subscribe or unsubscribe,
e-mail rpoa@xxxxxxxxxx
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