Huge step back for California shelter laws...responses needed by 5 pm TODAY

[Judith]

This is from another forum I frequent. Please, if this upsets you, call or email the contacts below TODAY. And please forward this to anyone you know who is interested in animal welfare.

***PLEASE FORWARD/CROSS-POST ASAP***

In his effort to solve the budget crisis, California Governor
Schwarzenegger has taken a hatchet to years of laws enacted to protect
abused and abandoned animals. The result is the "behind closed doors"
repeal of the Hayden bill and affiliated humane legislation, passed
through the years. Whether an error of omission or commission, the
result will be a return to the horrible pre-1998 status quo for
California animal shelters if you don't act TODAY.

The two most disturbing elements of the Governor's budget are the
return
of the animal holding period to only 72 hours for all animals (stray
and
relinquished) and the elimination of the requirement that shelters seek
veterinary care for animals at the shelter.

Among the other policies that will be repealed if the current budget is
adopted:

* The requirement that people convicted of cruelty to animals to pay
for
the costs of the animals' care while the issue of guilt is being
determined.
* The requirement that as a condition of probation, people convicted of
animal cruelty can be prevented from owning animals for three years.
* The law that made it a duty for shelters to use all currently
acceptable methods of identification - including microchips - to
determine the lawful owner of any seized or impounded animals.
* The State's policy preference for adoption instead of killing
animals.
* The requirement that shelters allow qualified animal adoption/rescue
groups to take responsibility for animals if they pay the required fee.
* The requirement that shelters give owner-relinquished animals a
chance
to be adopted.

The extent of the repeal caught everyone by surprise. We have only one
last chance to have these draconian measures removed from the budget.
The budget conference committee meets one final time... this weekend.
They must be convinced to revisit the inclusion of the Hayden
legislation as part of the budget or at least to only suspend the
fiscal
provisions of the Hayden legislation until the budget crisis has
passed.

Years of your work and the countless hours of hundreds of volunteers
can
be erased THIS WEEKEND if this repeal is allowed to occur.

Listed below is contact information for the legislators who will be
meeting this weekend to approve the proposed budget. Please contact
them as many times as you are able before 5pm Friday, June 25th.

THE FATE OF MILLIONS OF ANIMALS ARE RELYING ON YOUR ACTION. SEND AN
EMAIL, SEND A FAX AND MAKE A CALL.

Tell them NOT TO REPEAL THE HAYDEN LAW! THE GOVERNOR CAN ACCOMPLISH A
GOAL OF ZERO-BUDGET ALLOCATION BY SUSPENDING IT... HE DOESN'T NEED TO
REPEAL IT TO ACCOMPLISH HIS STATED GOAL!

QUESTIONS? Contact Rich Mc Lellan, Animal Legislative Action Network,
alan1@ix.netcom.com OR Jennifer Fearing, United Animal Nations,
jfearing@uan.org

Conference Committee Members

Chesbro, Wes (D) - Chair
(916) 445-3375 tel
senator.chesbro@sen.ca.gov email
(916) 445-3375 fax

Dede Alpert (D)
(916) 445-3952 tel
senator.alpert@sen.ca.gov email
(916) 327-2188 fax

Ross Johnson (R)
(916) 445-4961 tel
*doesn't use e-mail
(949) 833-0696 fax

Darrell Steinberg (D)
(916) 319-2009 tel
assemblymember.steinberg@assembly.ca.gov email
(916) 319-2109 fax

Judy Chu (D)
(916) 319-2049 tel
*doesn't use e-mail
(916) 319-2149 fax

Rick Keene (R)
(916) 319-2003 tel
assemblymember.keene@assembly.ca.gov email
(916) 319-2103 fax


United Animal Nations uan@registervisitor.org

[fermicat]

I read about this on CNN today, but their article didn't go into this much detail (it only covered the shortening of the holding period).

[NebariNookiee]

I still can't believe that doof was elected -- everyone knows the only reason he got it was his celebraty status

[fermicat]

He is fairly moderate for a republican. I was surprised by this shelter issue.

[Jul]

you know what?? as much sympathy as I feel for animals, this state is in the middle of a financial crisis, and we barely have enough money to pay for the healthcare and welfare of the elderly, mothers, and children, so if reducing these laws is one of the consequences of making sure that these other people are taken care of, so be it.

call me heartless, but in CA the number of animal shelters is far larger than shelters for the homeless or battered women and their children.. why is that?


I still can't believe that doof was elected -- everyone knows the only reason he got it was his celebraty status :eyebrow:

Celebrity or not, Schwarzeneggar is a businessman as well, and has actually done a really good job as governor so far. He's been able to make bipartisan agreement where there would be none in the democrat-dominated state assembly. As a citizen of the state, i'm happy with his performance so far.

[Judith]

you know what?? as much sympathy as I feel for animals, this state is in the middle of a financial crisis, and we barely have enough money to pay for the healthcare and welfare of the elderly, mothers, and children, so if reducing these laws is one of the consequences of making sure that these other people are taken care of, so be it.

call me heartless, but in CA the number of animal shelters is far larger than shelters for the homeless or battered women and their children.. why is that?





I wouldn't call you heartless. I certainly respect your opinion, and those are all valid issues. I just wanted people who are opposed to this to be able to contact people and let them know what they think.

[grinner]

I don't live in California... but I have to say that this is probably the best thing to do.

[DRD2001]

In our city, we went over the city's books and budget and WE found the money in the governmental waste in order to get a new spay/neuter facility. Fortunately animal control was on our side, because all of their studies have shown that it is cheaper to spay/neuter an animal than to euthanize it. I do think it is a shame to kill healthy animals because people are irresponsible and won't spay or neuter their pets.

Here is a link on California governmental waste. I don't really know much about this source or their reputation or their leanings, so take it for what it is worth.

http://www.cagw.org/site/DocServer/California_Piglet_Final__Sept_23__2003_.pdf?docID= 441

[grinner]

cheaper???... you can buy a box of 100 bullets for $30 or less.
cianide gas is really easy and cheap to make...

[DRD2001]

cheaper???... you can buy a box of 100 bullets for $30 or less.
cianide gas is really easy and cheap to make... whatever

[Judith]

UPDATE:

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (news - web sites), in the doghouse with animal-welfare advocates for proposing that shelters be allowed to kill stray animals more quickly to save money, said Friday that his budget recommendation was a mistake.


AP Photo



As part of his budget proposal first drafted in December, the governor had asked the Legislature to repeal a 1998 law that requires the shelters to hold dogs and cats up to six days before destroying them. The governor wanted to save local goverments that operate the shelters $14 million by cutting the waiting period in half.


But after a nationwide storm of protest, the governor organized a press conference outside his Capitol office and confessed to his error.


"I realized last night that there was a mistake that I made on the budget," he explained, noting he had only a few weeks to put his proposed budget together between his inauguration in November and when the document went to the printers in December.


Statewide, an estimated 600,000 dogs and cats are put to death each year — 34,000 in Los Angeles alone. In addition to cats and dogs, the shelters also care for many other animals including birds, hamsters, potbellied pigs, rabbits, snakes and turtles.


H.D. Palmer, a spokesman for the state Department of Finance, had said the six-day waiting period caused overcrowding and forced some shelters to kill off animals.


Political observers noted the issue was potentially volatile.


"Cats and dogs are like mom and apple pie," said Barbara O'Connor, director of the Institute for the Study of Politics and Media at California State University, Sacramento. "Don't mess with the pets. Most people prefer them to other people."


The Legislature is working to pass the state's budget before the next fiscal year begins July 1.

[soyarma]

I heard on the news tonight that he decided against that. I like that he can admit when he is wrong about something. Everyone makes mistakes, but not everyone can admit they do.

[StarsGoBlue]

and at least with a governor who might be willing to actually WORK with the legislator and his constituents (whether they voted for him or not)... we might actually GET a budget passed by the deadline. that would be a change!