Does this seem creepy to anyone?

Promising to be a better human is right by me. However, pledging myself to a "man", regardless of his postion just seems wrong.

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By Matthew Martz

Two-thirds of Kern County’s animal overpopulation results from backyard breeding, and rough economic conditions are contributing to an increase in backyard breeders and animal abandonment.

Rising unemployment and a declining housing market is effecting our pet population, as backyard breeders try to supplement incomes and pets are left behind when owners are forced to vacate foreclosed homes, not able to relocate with their pets.

Kern County Animal Control officer Jason Smith, an eight-year veteran of the Kern County Animal Control, says that he has witnessed an increase in backyard breeding and abandoned pets over the last year.

Smith, a 34-year-old Bakersfield native and West High graduate, patrols the streets daily and sees the effects of backyard breeding and speaks out against the practice.

“ Every day there is a huge section in the paper,” Smith says referring to the classifieds section of the Bakersfield Californian listing animals for sale, “ Labradoodles, cockapoos, and yorkipoos, people mixing any type of dog to get a litter of puppies that they can sell to make money.”

“Pets are your family -- not your business,” Smith said referring to non-licensed breeders, “It should not be about money, the worst thing is the ones they don’t sell are discarded.”

Most of those discarded puppies end up at the County’s shelters. The main shelter, located on Mt. Vernon Ave. in Bakersfield, is currently 40 percent above its maximum capacity, with some kennels having up to 10 dogs sharing a space no bigger than the average size walk-in closet.

The shelter is also responsible for the carrying out the gruesome task of euthanizing up to 50 animals a day in order to create room for the dozens who will take their place. That number is down from 80, thanks to an increase of rescues and adoption agencies from as far away as the San Francisco helping to find homes for these unwanted animals.

The economy is also affecting the number of calls that Smith and fellow officers are receiving where owners have just left an animal in the backyard of an abandoned home, sometimes with no access to food, water or proper shelter.

“We live in a throw-away society”, says Smith, “It is disheartening”

A final factor contributing to the increase in animal overpopulation is the sharp decline in owners spaying and neutering their pets.

“People are just not spending the money to alter their pets, especially now during the recession,” says Smith, “But they need to realize that there are low-cost clinics and discount vouchers available.”

Alpha Canine Sanctuary offers low-income Kern County residents up to $100 towards spaying or neutering their pet. An added benefit to altering your pet is the reduced cost of annual licensing fees. One out of 10 dogs in Kern County are licensed

“When a dog has a license it helps us to control the overcrowding at the shelter as it assists us in reuniting owners with their lost pets,” said Smith.

The Kern County Animal Control Department is currently $1.2 million under-funded, and like some County agencies is struggling to keep its staff of 14 officers to cover the more than 7,772 square miles of unincorporated Kern County the department is responsible for. Five to six officers handle the more than 100 calls that are received by the dispatch center everyday.

“Spay and neutering can help keep backyard breeders from their work as they will be unsuccessful in their attempt to breed animals,” said Smith, “ And If you must give up your pet, surrender the animal to a shelter or animal rescue agency.”

The public can assist in limiting the effect that backyard breeders are having on the system by adopting a pet from a local shelter and being vigilant in reporting sub-standard dog breeding operations.

“If you suspect irresponsible activity, we encourage people to file a complaint with either the City Animal Control or the County Animal Control Department if the suspected activity is being conducted within the unincorporated area of the county,” stated Guy Shaw, R.E.H.S. Director at the Kern County Animal Control Department.