Dozens of dog breeders, cat lovers and veterinarians are expected to stand
before Palm Beach County commissioners today for a hearing and likely final
vote on a controversial plan to reduce the number of unwanted animals killed
at the county's animal shelter.
The measure places a new ultimatum upon pet owners: Either agree not to
breed animals or pay a fee.
The ordinance would require all pet owners to sterilize their animals unless
they sign an affidavit agreeing not to breed them. They would be required to
buy a $75 "unaltered" tag, and the permits must be renewed each year.
Sterilization rule expected to pass final vote tonight
Many dog breeders and groups like the American Kennel Club strenuously
oppose the measure and promised a large turnout at today's meeting.
Breeders' groups and their attorneys say the rules punish responsible pet
owners and will only encourage residents not to license their pets. The
opponents have run newspaper advertisements and conducted a letter-writing
campaign to commissioners. In a final push, they have warned commissioners
of dire economic outcomes should the ordinance be approved.
Dennis B. Sprung, president and chief executive officer of the AKC, based in New York City, warned that Palm Beach County could lose dog show business.
"Passage of this ordinance would send a clear message that AKC events were not welcome in Palm Beach County," Sprung wrote. "Clubs would naturally be allowed to move these events to counties that support and promote responsible dog breeding and responsible dog ownership without burdensome regulation."
In Sprung's letter, he noted that in 2007, more than 8,000 dog owners participated in 34 separate AKC-related events in Palm Beach County. He said their annual economic impact in the county reaches $8 million.
There was no evidence Monday that commissioners are likely to back down. Last month, on a 6-1 vote, the commission tentatively approved the measure, with Bob Kanjian as the sole dissenter. He has raised doubts about the county's pet population statistics and has urged that the county do a better job marketing available pets at the shelter. He says the county should focus more on trap, neuter and release programs than new regulations.
In 2007, 16,288 dogs and cats were killed at the county's shelter, most of them cats.
On Monday, Commissioner Burt Aaronson, a south Palm Beach County-based commissioner, said he remains steadfast in support of the ordinance, content that requiring pets be spayed or neutered will ease the number of dogs and cats euthanized.
"I just can't see us euthanizing 18,000 animals a year when spaying and neutering will cut that down tremendously," Aaronson said. "It's bad enough when you have to [euthanize] an animal that is sick. But for us to keep taking them down because of their overpopulation, well, that to me is more like murder."
Tom Connick, a Deerfield Beach attorney representing some of the opposition groups, said one of the concerns with the ordinance is that it doesn't sufficiently distinguish between cat overpopulation and the number of dogs in the county.
According to the county's Animal Care and Control department, the number of nonferal cats euthanized nearly doubled to 8,683 in 2007, but the number of dogs killed there declined from 4,799 to 4,173 during the same period. About 3,500 feral cats were destroyed at the shelter in 2007, and more than 2,000 other animals also were euthanized.
Connick and others say the ordinance may have several unintended consequences, such as encouraging people to import more unaltered dogs to the county or encourage people to buy unaltered pets elsewhere and bring them to the county.
"What they are doing is putting in governmental controls to harass the responsible people," Connick said.
Mark Hollis can be reached at mhollis@sun-sentinel.com or 561-228-5512.
Dennis B. Sprung, president and chief executive officer of the AKC, based in New York City, warned that Palm Beach County could lose dog show business.
"Passage of this ordinance would send a clear message that AKC events were not welcome in Palm Beach County," Sprung wrote. "Clubs would naturally be allowed to move these events to counties that support and promote responsible dog breeding and responsible dog ownership without burdensome regulation."
In Sprung's letter, he noted that in 2007, more than 8,000 dog owners participated in 34 separate AKC-related events in Palm Beach County. He said their annual economic impact in the county reaches $8 million.
There was no evidence Monday that commissioners are likely to back down. Last month, on a 6-1 vote, the commission tentatively approved the measure, with Bob Kanjian as the sole dissenter. He has raised doubts about the county's pet population statistics and has urged that the county do a better job marketing available pets at the shelter. He says the county should focus more on trap, neuter and release programs than new regulations.
In 2007, 16,288 dogs and cats were killed at the county's shelter, most of them cats.
On Monday, Commissioner Burt Aaronson, a south Palm Beach County-based commissioner, said he remains steadfast in support of the ordinance, content that requiring pets be spayed or neutered will ease the number of dogs and cats euthanized.
"I just can't see us euthanizing 18,000 animals a year when spaying and neutering will cut that down tremendously," Aaronson said. "It's bad enough when you have to [euthanize] an animal that is sick. But for us to keep taking them down because of their overpopulation, well, that to me is more like murder."
Tom Connick, a Deerfield Beach attorney representing some of the opposition groups, said one of the concerns with the ordinance is that it doesn't sufficiently distinguish between cat overpopulation and the number of dogs in the county.
According to the county's Animal Care and Control department, the number of nonferal cats euthanized nearly doubled to 8,683 in 2007, but the number of dogs killed there declined from 4,799 to 4,173 during the same period. About 3,500 feral cats were destroyed at the shelter in 2007, and more than 2,000 other animals also were euthanized.
Connick and others say the ordinance may have several unintended consequences, such as encouraging people to import more unaltered dogs to the county or encourage people to buy unaltered pets elsewhere and bring them to the county.
"What they are doing is putting in governmental controls to harass the responsible people," Connick said.
Mark Hollis can be reached at mhollis@sun-sentinel.com or 561-228-5512.