AB 1634 Hearing Dates Set
            MONDAY, JULY 9
            To be heard in Senate Business, Professions and Economic
Development Committee

            WEDNESDAY, JULY 11
            To be heard in Senate Local Government Committee (if bill
passes B & P Committee)

            Coming up: PetPAC Capitol Rally information

            
            PRESS RELEASE / June 21, 2007

            Animal Shelter Costs
            Double Following
            Mandatory Spay/Neuter
            Law in Santa Cruz

            Claims that a law to force the sterilization of dogs and
cats in California "will save millions of taxpayer dollars" are being
discounted after government documents show that animal control expenses
have nearly doubled in the county that serves as the model for the
proposed statewide measure.

            In arguably the most contentious bill before the California
Legislature this year, AB 1634 by Assemblyman Lloyd Levine (D-Van Nuys)
will require nearly all pet owners to spay or neuter their animals or
face a $500 fine.

            Claiming taxpayer savings as the basis for the bill,
proponents point to a 1995 mandatory spay/neuter law in Santa Cruz
County that serves as the blueprint for AB 1634. In a recent interview,
Assemblyman Levine said that based on the Santa Cruz ordinance, he
assumes that California taxpayers can expect to "save $200 million or
more a year."

            But records obtained by PetPAC from the California State
Controller's Office paint a very different picture: Animal control
expenses in Santa Cruz County have skyrocketed since the law took
effect, from $635,296 in 1995 to more than $1.1 million in 2005 - an
increase of 93%.

            In contrast, animal control expenses statewide decreased
more than 10% during the same 10-year period, according to government
figures supplied by Judie Mancuso, the bill's own sponsor.

            Ignoring clear evidence to the contrary, proponents of AB
1634 contend that local governments will save money despite being
saddled with a new law that is expensive to implement, a burden to
administer, and impossible to enforce.

            "I am no longer surprised by the stunning erroneous claims
that supporters of AB 1634 are making," said Bill Hemby, Chairman of
PetPAC, an organization dedicated to the rights of pets and their
owners.

            "What concerns me is that backers of the bill have no
problem giving state lawmakers flat-out false information on which to
base their vote. That takes a lot of nerve, I'll give them that."

            AB 1634 will be heard in the Senate Business, Professions
and Economic Development Committee on July 9. If passed, it will be
heard next in the Senate Local Government Committee on July 11.


          
          
                  Spread the word about PetPAC.
                   Have you signed the PetPAC petition opposing AB 1634?
                   Please help PetPAC fight AB 1634.
                
                      
          
             
            Paid for by PetPAC, P.O. Box 1019, Sacramento, CA 95812