Page 2

CALIFORNIA
Bernalillo County - Bernalillo County Commissioners and Animal Control officers held a public hearing Monday evening to hear about plans to toughen up the county’s animal laws. Dogcatchers want to make the county animal ordinances a lot stronger, especially on the issue of animal cruelty. The new proposals include higher license fees and mandatory micro-chipping. Cruelty laws would be expanded to include negligence, failure to provide basic veterinary care, and the amateur practices of ear-cropping, tail docking, and removing the dog’s ability to bark. Commissioners will consider higher permit fees for people who breed and sell animals, along with stricter record keeping requirements and inspections.
Huntington Beach - Ordinance 3787, the mandatory S/N proposal was put aside without a vote. The Council decided to revisit the issue on December 17th when they will discuss other options.
Huntington Beach - conflicting information out of Huntington Beach. City Council late Monday night turned a proposed mandatory spay, neuter and microchip law into an incentive-based program with increased fines for owning an unaltered dog or cat without a microchip. The heated, six-hour meeting Monday night ended with council members directing the city attorney to modify the sterilization and microchip program into a five-tiered discount program that will mirror rules already set up by Orange County Animal Care Services. There was no formal vote
Kern County - proposed regs change zoning, create animal ownership limits and require an "animal fancier license" for anyone having more than 6 dogs /cats.
Livermore - adopt an ordinance that will put restrictions on dogs that are declared to be dangerous by the court. The liability insurance required to own what is concidered to be a dangerous dog would be $300,000. The ordinance is stricter than the current state law in several areas. This ordinance is not breed specific, but does include attacks on livestock. The ordinance A) prohibits transfer of the dangerous dog, B) requires special restraint including outlining where the animal could be kept in secure enclosures on the property, and C) requires owners of dangerous dogs to have $300,000 in liability insurance. Passed by residents - voted 34-19
Marin County - changes to the county's animal control laws, aimed at putting teeth in regulations for dealing with dangerous dogs, define owners' responsibilities for dogs that have been declared "potentially dangerous" or "vicious", require owners of the dogs to post warning signs on their property and have the pets sterilized. The animals also would have to be tattooed or have a microchip implant identifying them as potentially dangerous. Owners who fail to meet the rules could be fined $500 in addition to paying the cost of the Marin Mediation Service's hearing process. Passed 10/23/07
Stockton - new city ordinance requiring pet owners to microchip their dogs and cats starts Thursday, affecting thousands of pet owners. The ordinance, which requires for the first time that cats be licensed, was adopted by the City Council last month. Among other things: » Like dogs, cats older than six months must be vaccinated against rabies and licensed by the city. Both dogs and cats must have microchip identification tags. A microchip, which is about the size of a grain of rice and is injected beneath the skin, can be scanned to identify the animal. A license for a neutered or spayed dog or cat costs $10 for one year, $15 for two years or $25 for three years. Seniors qualify for a discount. A license for an unaltered dog or cat costs $100 for one year, $120 for two years or $150 for a license that is good for three years. Seniors qualify for a discount. text available upon request
CONNECTICUT
Hartford - Attorney General Richard Blumenthal on Monday announced a new hot line for people to report suspected illegal cockfights and dogfights. It's part of a nationwide crackdown against animal fighting. "This hot line is a first step by Connecticut as part of a national effort to combat animal fighting through the National Association of Attorneys. "The Humane Society is joining us in this powerful partnership - providing a strong financial incentive for citizens to report a crime that degrades our humanity." The hot line number is (860) 808-5180. Humane Society of the United States announced $5,000 in rewards for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in illegal animal fights.
FLORIDA
Tallahassee - HB 219 - An act relating to the Gertrude Maxwell Save a Pet Act; providing a short title; creating s. 570.236, F.S.; creating a direct-support organization for the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; providing for the organization and operation of the direct-support organization; providing for a contract; providing for a board of directors; providing for the use of property, facilities, and personal services of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services by the direct-support organization; providing restrictions; providing for the deposit of moneys; providing for an annual audit; providing limits on the direct-support organization; specifying inapplicability of potentially conflicting provision of law; providing an effective date. text available upon request
Tallahassee - AB436 - bill allows a judge to order a pet be placed with a humane society if the divorcing parties are unable to stipulate to the placement of a pet. This bill takes away a person's Federal Fourteenth Amendment right to due process by allowing a judge to order personal property to be given to an organization WITHOUT COMPENSATION.
Tallahassee - SB38 - bill is suggesting that intact dogs can be used as a weapon partial text available upon request
Boca Raton - Commissioners have endorsed a mandatory spay and neutering program for all dogs and cats. Commissioners haven't made it mandatory, the idea of responsible pet ownership is contained in city code.
Miami-Dade County - a hearing will be held November 28 to discuss microchipping and breed selective legislation. They will discuss repealing the ban on Pitbulls in the county.
Palm Beach County - proposed Animal Care and Control fee increases for Rabies License Tags Fees; Service Fees and Citation Fees; provide direction regarding mandatory spay/neuter of dogs and cats; and provide direction regarding backyard breeding of dogs and cats. Mandatory spay/neuter of all dogs and cats in PBC, intact license fee of $75 per dog or cat per year and breeder permits - you will be able to apply for a breeding permit by paying a $100 fee, filling out an application from Palm Beach County Animal Care & Control, allowing AC&C to come and "inspect" your home, and AC&C will do a "background check" to insure you aren't a criminal. Update: Voting on resolution November 20.
Pasco County - New Port Richey - considering tougher rules to deal with owners of aggressive or vicious animals. Proposed new rules would make pet owners legally responsible for the first bite.
Polk County - Animal Services' new policy regarding chows, Akitas, pit bulls and Rottweilers is to not adopt out these particular breeds.
Sarasota - City commissioners unanimously decided to adopt the county's stiffer "dangerous dogs" and leash ordinances. The ordinance will require dogs to be on a leash when not confined on their owners' property and allow county animal control officers to impound those considered "vicious." Violations come with up to $500 in fines and allows dogs to walk around leashless as long as they remain within 100 feet of their owners and are under voice command. Effective 11/05/07
Seminole County - is working on the language for a proposed anti tethering ordinance
West Palm Beach - commissioners appear ready to adopt a mandatory countywide pet sterilization policy, tapping into an emotional issue that affects thousands of pet owners and has already drawn howls from some animal lovers. An ordinance that will require most dogs and cats in the county to be spayed or neutered - the first policy of its kind in Florida - is being prepared for two public hearings and debate in December. At a workshop, commissioners were given a dire portrait of the county's pet overpopulation crisis and the emotional toll of putting to death 18,248 dogs and cats last year. They responded with sentimental stories of their own affection for animals and ordered their lawyers to draft a mandatory sterilization policy that would include a few exceptions. The proposed policy would demand that all dogs and cats be sterilized unless there's documented medical reason for the pet to not be sterilized, or that it's a proven show dog or cat, or that it's the property of a county-permitted animal breeder. To reduce the number of unwanted animals destroyed at county facilities and ease the amount of time and money spent dealing with feral animals, commissioners asked their staff to examine what it would take to establish a fleet of four or more mobile spay shuttles. Nothing appears to have been mentioned the Broward County SPCA imports dog from the Caribbean area.