Pending legislation in Virginia could force all pets to be sold with a mandatory Spay/Neuter contract. Delegate Robert Hull has introduced last minute legislation that would require all dogs and cats sold in the state of Virginia to be Spayed or Neutered. Not including this clause in your contract could cost both the buyer and the seller a fine of $150 unless you qualify for one of the three exemptions for "good" breeders. Pet owners will no longer have a choice in whether to spay or neuter their pets.
Without going off onto a rant, this totally removes any "choice" either the breeder or purchaser has in spaying or neutering your pet. You WILL do it within 30 days of purchase or within 30 days of it becoming 6 months of age or you will be breaking the law and subject to fines.
So what does this mean to the average person? It means that unless you are actively showing or competing with your dog, you no longer have any choice in having a litter of puppies. The law graciously allows that a "hobby" breeder may have one litter of puppies as long as they find homes for them all and don't make any money from it. It means that the price of buying a puppy or a kitten is going to go up. It means that the only place you will be able to buy a puppy is from a "dealer". Isn't that the very thing they are trying to stop?
What it won't do: It certainly doesn't penalize the people who let their dogs run loose and then dump the resulting puppies on the side of the road or give them away without any care about what kind of home they are going to live in. It does nothing to address unwanted litters. It does nothing to address the thousands of mixed breed dogs and cats that populate the county shelters and are passed off by well meaning but less than knowledgeable shelter employees as purebred dogs.
They have tried to prevent the euthanasia of unwanted dogs and cats by legislating spay and neuter and it has failed. You can read about some of them here:
National Animal Interest Alliance
Mandatory Spay and Neuter Resources
Shelter Population
How are they going to enforce it? Are we going to have to have an attorney to buy our kids a puppy? Are they going to pull police off the streets and have them out inspecting contracts on every kid with a new kitten? As a breeder, when I sell a pet puppy, I do so on a spay/neuter contract but this law requires not only that I add it to my contract but I can be fined if the buyer doesn't comply within 30 days.
This is just another example of our politicians wasting our time and money by making useless, unreasonable laws that no one will ever be able to enforce. We already have good laws in place in to protect animals as was proven in the Michael Vick case and the Puppy Mill case.
We already have no one to enforce them.
If you wish to contact someone and express your opinion, here are the addresses. Be polite and be specific. Voice your opposition or support in the first sentence of your letter or email and then go on to explain why:
P.O. Box 406
Richmond, Virginia 23218
Phone: (804) 698-1054
Fax: (804) 786-6310
Legislative Assistant: Renee Hudson
Email: DelBOrrock@house.
Ed Scott
General Assembly Building
P.O. Box 406
Richmond, Virginia 23218
Phone: (804) 698-1030
Fax: (804) 786-6310
Legislative Assistant: Lisa Drummond
Email: DelEScott@house.
Danny Marshall
General Assembly Building
P.O. Box 406
Richmond, Virginia 23218
Phone: (804) 698-1014
Fax: (804) 786-6310
Legislative Assistant: Mary K. Franklin
Email: DelDMarshall@
Matt Lohr
General Assembly Building
P.O. Box 406 Richmond, Virginia 23218
Phone: (804) 698-1026
Fax: (804) 786-6310
Legislative Assistant: Audrey Berkshire
Email: DelMLohr@house.
General Assembly Building
P.O. Box 406
Richmond, Virginia 23218
Phone: (804) 698-1009
Fax: (804) 786-6310
Legislative Assistant: Brenda Bowman
Email: DelCPoindexter@
James Shuler
General Assembly Building
P.O. Box 406
Richmond, Virginia 23218
Phone: (804) 698-1012
Fax: (804) 786-6310
Email: DelJShuler@house.
Lynwood Lewis
General Assembly Building
P.O. Box 406 Richmond, Virginia 23218
Phone: (804) 698-1000
Fax: (804) 786-6310
Legislative Assistant: Laurie Naismith
Email: DelLLewis@house.
Bobby Mathieson
General Assembly Building
P.O. Box 406
Richmond, Virginia 23218
Phone: (804) 698-1021
Fax: (804) 786-6310
Legislative Assistant: Jason Robinson and Brent McKenzie
Email: DelBMathieson@
2 comments:
I think this law should be enacted. If you've ever seen the statistics of animals put down each year, that homes couldn't be found for, you know that something further has to be done. It may make purchasing a dog or cat more expensive, but then maybe more owners will see them as a lifetime investment in companionship and not something to toss out after they nibble on their sofa. Part of the reason people's pets are out running around in the street is because they were able to purchase the pet itself so cheaply. If the animal costs more it will deter more people who don't have money for veterinary care, food and boarding.
I have seen the statistics of the number of animals put down each year and they have been declining every year since the 70s. Shelters in the north east and elsewhere are importing dogs from outside the US to adopt out as they cannot keep up with the demand for small adoptable pets. I personally have never found that the cost of an animal makes much difference in the way people treat it. Let's face it, some people don't take care of their kids either. Prosecute the ones who don't take care of them and stop persecuting the ones who do.
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