As an animal shelter volunteer, I sympathize with Santa Barbara County shelters’ struggle to accommodate the endless stream of homeless animals who pass through their doors (“Supes Pass Spay/Neuter Ball Back to Staff,” 5/8/08, /spayneuterpass).
For the sake of homeless animals and the compassionate shelter workers who have devoted their lives to caring for them, I hope that county staff will move forward with the proposed spay/neuter ordinance. But unlike letter-writer Lee Heller [Sterilize the Mixed Breeds, 5/1, /sterilizemixedbreeds], I support requiring all animals—mixed-breed and purebred—to be sterilized. About 25 percent of dogs who end up in shelters are purebreds, and every time someone buys a purebred puppy or kitten from a breeder or pet store, a shelter animal loses a chance at a desperately needed home.
With so many animals being euthanized for lack of homes, the last thing we need is more cats or dogs being brought into the world—purebred or not.
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Someone should speak to the rescues and shelters that are importing dogs from foreign countries to fill their empty spaces before we desex all US dogs in the name of pet overpopulation. And the notion of buying a purebred kills a shelter dog is another piece of nonsense. I for one will only have a purebred since I will know the size, grooming requirements and temperament up front instead of dealing with a dog that is not suited to my household.
portreest (anonymous profile)
May 16, 2008 at 10:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
7 Things You Didn't Know About PeTA
1. PeTA has stated repeatedly that their goal is "total animal liberation." This means no pets, no meat, no milk, no zoos, no circuses, no fishing, no hunting, no farming, no leather, and no animal testing for lifesaving medicines.
2. PeTA has given tens of thousands of dollars to convicted arsonists and other violent criminals.
3. PeTA funds the misnamed Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine an animal-rights organization that presents itself as an unbiased source for nutritional information and has links to violent animal-rights groups called SHAC and ALF.
4. PeTA has used their contributors tax-exempt donations to fund the North American Earth Liberation front and the Animal Liberation Front, FBI-certified domestic terrorist groups responsible for fire bombs and death threats.
5. PeTA regularly targets kids as early as elementary school with anti-meat and anti-milk propaganda. They are totally opposed to traditional farming methods.
6. PeTA spends less than one percent of its $13 million budget actually caring for animals. PeTA kills animals.
7. PeTA has repeatedly attacked groups like the March of Dimes, the Pediatric AIDS Foundation, and the American Cancer Society, for conducting animal testing to find cures for birth defects and life-threatening diseases.
source: www.consumerfreedom.com
www.petakillsanimals.com
www.animalscam.com
www.naiaonline.org
etbmfa (anonymous profile)
May 16, 2008 at 3:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree that the proliferation of pets is a problem. Mandatory sterilization of "mongrels" will lead to the further deterioration of the "pure" breeds into hopelessly inbred high maintenance nightmares. Education of the pet owner is what should be mandatory, but probably won't happen because it will require the perennially underfunded public sector to make it happen.
tegrat (anonymous profile)
May 23, 2008 at 10:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)
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