Guest guest Posted June 25, 2004 Report Share Posted June 25, 2004 Governor Wants to Repeal Law Favoring Pet Adoption By Robert Salladay Times Staff Writer SACRAMENTO — In his brief political career, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (news - web sites) has challenged powerful state unions, prison guards and wealthy American Indian tribes alike. But now he is up against a group with far greater numbers and a louder voice: animal lovers. Schwarzenegger wants to repeal California's comprehensive law forcing animal shelters to hold stray cats and dogs up to six days before killing them, a budget-cutting move that has enraged pet adoption groups. As a favor to the state's cash-poor counties and cities, Schwarzenegger has asked the state Legislature to reverse the 1998 law, which makes adoption of wayward pets the first priority of shelters instead of quickly putting them to death. The law is dubbed the Hayden Act, after former Santa Monica state senator and activist Tom Hayden. " This is an issue that affects the care and protection of tens of thousands of stray animals, and will inflict heartbreak on a lot of owners and people in the animal adoption world, " Hayden said Thursday. Few issues can incite animal lovers more than the abuse or killing of pets. Los Angeles' animal services director, Jerry Greenwalt, retired in April after protesters vandalized his house and spray-painted " murderer " on his car. Claiming the city killed too many animals, protesters also picketed the San Pedro home of Mayor James K. Hahn (only to be targeted themselves by Hahn's neighbors, armed with squirt guns.) Many experienced politicians say it is best to either be an advocate for animals or stay clear of the issue. " There is no organized constituency of cats and dogs, but certainly the pet owners of America will find this reprehensible, " said Barbara O'Connor, director of the Institute for the Study of Politics and Media at Cal State Sacramento. " Cats and dogs are like mom and apple pie. Don't mess with the pets. Most people prefer them to other people. " Hahn, in fact, announced last year that the city would stop killing animals by 2008, but Los Angeles continues to put to death cats, dogs and other animals that are not adopted. The city handles more than 60,000 animals each year and kills about 34,000, or 54%. An estimated 600,000 dogs and cats are put to death each year statewide. The Schwarzenegger administration said repealing the Hayden Act could save local governments up to $14 million. As proposed, shelters would be allowed to kill dogs and cats after holding them just 72 hours, regardless of whether the shelters are open to the public during those three days. But animal rights activists believe cats and dogs should not be sacrificed in an effort to save money amid the state's budget shortfall. " It's sad they would put a price tag on the animals, " said Kathy Riordan, a member of the Los Angeles Animal Services Commission and daughter of Schwarzenegger advisor and former Mayor Richard Riordan. Schwarzenegger has proposed a change in the law to allow birds, hamsters, potbellied pigs, rabbits, snakes, turtles and other animals that are not cats and dogs to be put to death immediately after capture if the shelter favors that approach, animal rights groups said. Currently, a minimum six-day window covers all animals, but the protections for everything but cats and dogs would be eliminated under the changes. Schwarzenegger also would eliminate a requirement that people convicted of animal cruelty be prohibited from owning a pet for three years and be forced to pay for medical care for the animals they have mistreated. Shelters no longer would be required to search for owners who have embedded microchips in their pets that store addresses and phone numbers... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 25, 2004 Report Share Posted June 25, 2004 SIX DAYS??? That's all they're required to do? And he wants to *shorten* it?? I feel naive- just the other day my father told me the story of exactly how we acquired our first dog (he had to go out in the middle of a snowstorm to pick her up as she'd used up all her time at more than one shelter and was going to be put down), and I was horrified. I never realized just how little time animals were given. I thank God my town has a no-kill shelter. It is expensive, but these are lives. Some of the animals there are just the sweetest most loveable creatures, and sometimes it takes a while for the right family to find them. :/ How sad. At least it's true that animal lovers do seem to have the loudest voices at times. Julia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 25, 2004 Report Share Posted June 25, 2004 i just read this article. i simply cannot fathom the logic behind his actions. i am absolutely FURIOUS and as a california resident, i will take whatever steps are necessary to fight this plan of his. ugh. the more i live in this country, the more attractive canada becomes. melody http://www.flawlessfitness.com http://www.melodysmusic.net Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 25, 2004 Report Share Posted June 25, 2004 i know! Isn't it aweful? Sheesh, the poor people who have taken the care to have the chip placed into their pets won't even be given any consideration. i pity anyone in California should their pet run off and get " found " by one of the shelters.... too horrible to imagine that they won't even try finding the animal's guardians! And all the other strays and neglected animals... so sad. Here is a perfect quote: He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals. ~ Immanuel Kant, philosopher (1724-1804) Schwarzenegger bears careful watching! ~ pt ~ No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of another. ~ Charles Dickens ~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~~~~ , " nadiana01 " <nadiana1@a...> wrote: > i just read this article. > > i simply cannot fathom the logic behind his actions. > > i am absolutely FURIOUS and as a california resident, i will take > whatever steps are necessary to fight this plan of his. > > ugh. the more i live in this country, the more attractive canada becomes. > > melody Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 25, 2004 Report Share Posted June 25, 2004 , " Feral " <terebinthus> wrote: > Schwarzenegger bears careful watching! > ~ pt ~ Fortunately, the California governor has reversed his stance on this after nationwide outrage. You can read more at: http://www.sacbee.com/state_wire/story/9775803p-10698599c.html However, he still bears careful watching. Laurie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 26, 2004 Report Share Posted June 26, 2004 Oh good! i am glad he listened to the voice of reason. But i am still concerned that he did it in the first place. ~ pt ~ , laurieadrienne wrote: > Fortunately, the California governor has reversed his stance on this after nationwide > outrage. You can read more at: > > http://www.sacbee.com/state_wire/story/9775803p-10698599c.html > > However, he still bears careful watching. > > Laurie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 26, 2004 Report Share Posted June 26, 2004 I'm not exactly the pet type. However, this kind of thought towards animals unspeakable. Animal cruelty and slaughtering in the name of a bad government's budget or in any name is absurd. Thank goodness that he reversed his decision!! Oh, and Melody, for talking about the way the country and state is going, I'm rather pleased that I moved to Thailand 4 years ago. I haven't suffered a moment of the Bush administration or anything else that has been going on. I've heard some good things about Canada. Even though the entire country's population is the same of Tokyo, Japan's. If not a little smaller. Lezlie , " nadiana01 " <nadiana1@a...> wrote: > i just read this article. > > i simply cannot fathom the logic behind his actions. > > i am absolutely FURIOUS and as a california resident, i will take > whatever steps are necessary to fight this plan of his. > > ugh. the more i live in this country, the more attractive canada becomes. > > melody > > > http://www.flawlessfitness.com > > http://www.melodysmusic.net Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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