Throwaway animals, again. - Quirks of the County - Jburger's Blog - Bakersfield.com

Mar 6, 2008 at 03:03 PM : Why is it so...

Why is it so difficult to get a mandatory spay/neuter program on the books in this city?

Mar 6, 2008 at 03:03 PM : Adam, I...

Adam,

I talk about that a bit in the story, and also talk about the fact we still have very few resources for low-cost spay neuter — a critical part of many programs to reduce overpopulation.

Keep you eyes out for the piece. We'll have a powerful presence on the web as well — something we didn't have in 2004.

James

Mar 6, 2008 at 03:03 PM : We need those...

We need those low/dare I say it? ..oh heck... no cost spay and nueter programs out there. Most good pet owners do these things,but there are a lot of "I have a dog" folks out there ,who ,clearly,do not care.

Mar 6, 2008 at 03:03 PM : Most pet...

Most pet owners are willing to spay/neuter but for cost. Periodic free spay/neutering won't make the problem of surplus animals go away but would help put a dent in the problem.

Mar 6, 2008 at 07:03 PM : James, I look forward...

James, I look forward to reading your article. I can't believe 3 1/2 years have gone by and we've seen so little progress on this issue. I hope that your new article will sufficiently outrage people again to finally get something done.

Mar 7, 2008 at 08:03 AM : It is my...

It is my understanding Bakersfield has a low cost program in place from a group headquartered out of Fresno that works to provide a mobile spay/neuter service. The organization is HOPE. I thought all you had to do was call to set up an appointment. How hard is that?

From my perspective the cost to spay/neuter your pet is pretty negligible even when you go to the veterinarian. Granted, if you have a big dog the cost for the anesthesia can be significant, but hey , you picked the breed deal with it. The weekly food bills and vaccinations are going to also be a sizable cost, much more than the price of a spay/neuter. People must understand when they take on the responsibility of pet ownership it is going to cost money to provide a decent environment for the animal. Free to a good home never means no costs are going to be involved. If money is so tight, or you feel your own lifestyle cannot provide enough space or stability just say no to pet ownership. There is nothing more frustrating than seeing people leaving a housing situation and abandoning their pets. I also personally feel any advertising for a pet should have a minimum value attached to discourage the blind give aways for overbred animals.

Put the ordinance on the books to mandate spay/neuter for the city. It is not as though this is some new concept, and that most other California cities are not on board already with this needed regulation to help control the overpopulation crisis. If I were king I would demand that photos of dead pets from the Animal Control facility be posted on every school campus in town.

Mar 7, 2008 at 09:03 AM : I still say...

I still say those of us that castrate as a course of bidness could do it on volunteer basis and it wouldn't cost a thing!

Why does a dog have ta be castrated like a human anyway? (go in through the belly)

Snip sack, pull out testicle, milk back "stuff" on tubules to sack, cut .......... done.

What're they gonna do next, fake testicles?

Bull calves are none the worse for wear. We could do hundreds before lunch.

And I love dogs too.............

Mar 7, 2008 at 09:03 AM : adam, The HOPE Animal...

adam,

The HOPE Animal Foundation is, indeed, offering extremely cheap spay and neuter surgeries — complete with a trip to their Fresno clinic. Even a large, female dog only costs around $65. They told me, however, that the have only done one run in the last month because people sign up to bring their animal in and then don't show up. The van can take 100 animals. They get 90 sign ups. Only 60 animals show up.

There are other programs too. The county and SPCA are doing low cost spay-neuter work (as you noted on your blog) and the Humane Society offers vouchers.

The problem is there is no all-week, low-cost spay-neuter clinic here in Bakersfield.

Vouchers and two or three clinics a month (counting the HOPE van) will have some impact. But it won't solve the problem.

The HOPE folks tell me it takes six years for a full-time clinic to make a dent in animal overpopulation.

James

Mar 7, 2008 at 12:03 PM : It is the ignorance...

It is the ignorance and the arrogance of the animal owners that has caused this problem. Low cost spay and neuter programs may be few, but they are available. There are also free and low cost vaccination clinics available, but unless an animal has been ticketed, many people won't take advantage of them. You could literally offer free spay and neutering, with pick up and delivery service, and there would be people who wouldn't take advantage of it. Perhaps owning an animal shouldn't be a right, but a privilege. I'm not sure what the answer is, but I know it's the people, not the animals (who are paying the price with their lives) who are the problem.

Mar 7, 2008 at 12:03 PM : OK guys. My...

OK guys. My Sunday story is up on the web. With photos.

Go check it out, then come back and comment.

James

Mar 7, 2008 at 02:03 PM : I'm a responsible...

I'm a responsible pet owner. Both of my girls were spayed before their first heat. I agree to spaying and neutering pets but disagree for it to be mandatory. Some people breed pets for a living and that would remove their livlihood. Not only that but the pet population would eventually die off due to no new pets being born. Now, there are way too many irresponsible pet owners out there. They let their animals get pregnant and then fill the classifieds and Penny Saver type publications with hundreds of pets for sale or free to a good home. Or the unplanned/unwanted animals end up in the shelter or set free out in the countryside to fend for themselves or die. In my 1.5 mile drive to work I see at least 3 stray dogs in each direction every single day. It's even more when I venture off to the grocery store or to church. That video was definitely shocking. It ruined my day. The whole situation is very sad.

Mar 7, 2008 at 04:03 PM : Yes we do...

Yes we do love animals in KC. We especially have a fondness for pigs of all kinds.

Mar 7, 2008 at 05:03 PM : I drive rescue dogs...

I drive rescue dogs and have pulled dogs from Mojave, Mt. Vernon and Shafter. It's never ending and breaks my heart but I do what I can. Like the starfish story, it makes a difference to the dogs I'm able to help.

Perhaps the new Director can do some marketing so awareness can be raised among the public.

Education about responsible pet ownership is important. The County should have an outreach program in the schools to teach kids what it means to be a responsible pet owner. Every adopter should be given a handout that outlines responsible pet ownership.

If KCAC could actively recruit volunteers, perhaps they could run adoption fairs on weekends in conjunction with PetsMart and PetCo like the Cat People already do. Hold adoption fairs at local parks. Provide education at all of these events.

Perhaps KCAC could partner with a 503(c) to organize low cost/free spay/neuter clinics. Seems as if there's enough vets in the County who could donate their time and then write it off as a charitable donation. Some materials (anesthesia, sutures, etc,)would have to be paid for by KCAC but the cost could certainly be lowered for the public.

The hours the shelter is open to the public for adoption should be extended on weekdays and the shelter should be open for adoptions on Sundays. 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on weekdays, except Wednesdays, makes it really hard for people who work 9 to 5 jobs to get to the shelter if they wanted to adopt. Not everyone has Saturday off, either.

No animal should be allowed to be adopted that is not altered. The voucher helps but some people just won't do it. Any animal that is adopted out of the shelter should be vaccinated and licensed so at least there's a track for the first year.

Those who wish to breed dogs for sale should be required to have a business license and to post that license number in their ads or the ad cannot be placed.

Mar 8, 2008 at 12:03 PM : While fools...

While fools and those with vested interests babble on, there are some of us quietly fighting the good fight daily. There are animal rescuers all over Kern County. Those who pay out of our own pockets to have these abandoned, abused and neglected creatures altered and helped by Bakersfield vets. The pictures are awful, but I urge the Californian to keep on printing them. Keep on putting the blame where it should be. Look in the mirror folks. If you aren't part of the solution, then you are part of the problem.

Mar 9, 2008 at 09:03 AM : What are pets? The...

What are pets? The dictionary says they are kept for entertainment and/or compaionship. I know people that keep dogs just for security, and don't give a hoot about the dog's well being. And others see $ dollar signs when a litter are born. But are we only speaking of pets? No, I don't think so. Every pet owner I know treats their pet as a member of the family. Sure explains the huge number of veternarians, and pet stores. But are those the animals we are addressing here? No, again, I don't think so. Unwanted domesticated animals, sounds more like it to me.

In my opinion, a wanted "PET" should be registered, licensed, vaccinated, and spayed/nuetered. Then there should be a seperate but similar situation for "working" animals. And then there is the "BUSINESS" of breeding. This business should be treated like any other business.  ALL the money brought in should go right back to the animal control dept. More enforcement personnel
will be needed.  And it would help fund services.

I have always taken in strays or abandoned or animals in shelters for pets. They were taken to the vet and given everything needed to make them a family member. "ADOPTION", should be treated simular to adding a family memeber, or registered as a "working" animal. If you have an animal, you should be made responsible, IF YOU CAN'T BRING YOURSELF TO VOLUNTARILY DO SO!

Mar 9, 2008 at 03:03 PM : It is my...

It is my understanding Bakersfield has a low cost program in place from a group headquartered out of Fresno that works to provide a mobile spay/neuter service. The organization is HOPE. I thought all you had to do was call to set up an appointment. How hard is that?

Bakersfield does NOT have a low cost program in place - Fresno does. HOPE is a foundation based in Fresno. They have extended their program to Bakersfield. KCAC has generously provided a link on its website but, as far as I know, has not provided any money to support HOPE.

I think it's crimnal that KCAC has only spent $5,000 of the $100,000 provided this year for a spay/neuter program here. Why doesn't KCAC have a coordinator for this? This is not rocket science. Contract with some vets, ADVERTISE (and not just through Human Services for low-income people), then hold clinics.

Mar 9, 2008 at 03:03 PM : I've...

I've rescued purebred dogs before. The sad thing is that many people are like Ellen Degeneris and they go through the process but then fail to do so in return if the dog doesn't "work out"!

I've helped rescuers go get them back when they didn't work out. But at least those people didn't pull an "Ellen" and not go back through the people they got the dog from.

People were awfully hard on the rescuers in the "Ellen case" but they don't understand the rules and how seriously the people take them. They love the breed they represent!

Mar 9, 2008 at 06:03 PM : I am 60 years...

I am 60 years old and on disability. I live alone and my dogs are all I have. I have three, two are strays but have lived long full lives. I have no money for a vet, Alpha K-9 helped me get my yellow lab fixed. I stayed in the house with that dog until her heat cycle was over. I give them their own shots, except for rabies, the vet has to do that. They get the best food I can afford and plenty of love and a big yard. My dogs are all I have, and when I die I want my first lab buried with me. We were soul mates. (I had her creamated, so she will never leave me. Alpha K-9 was wonderful when I lost my first lab (my soul mate) to old age. God helped me to get another one and Alpha K-9 didnt hesitate to get her fixed for me. Praise God! We must all give even a little bit to her organization (a no kill facility) every month. It helps low income people Have an animal and even low income people can offer alot of love. My first dog was a part of my soul.

MDillwilson@aol.com

Mar 9, 2008 at 06:03 PM : GREAT POST...

GREAT POST MD!

MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR MATES!

Mar 9, 2008 at 07:03 PM : So one (or...

So one (or more) of the elected officials feels the government shouldn't be telling people what to do? Uh, what century is he stuck in? Free spay/neuter programs, and requiring any pet to be s/n PRIOR to reproducing, should be the goal and the pet overpopulation problem will continue until the light finally dawns. Until Bakersfield elected officials "get it", my husband and I will no longer spend any time or money in this community. We travel through the area 6 times per year and almost always stop for lodging, meals or gas. We'll take our money elsewhere as long as this horrible animal abuse continues. Cudos to those of you out there doing rescue work. I've sent a donation to a Bakersfield area animal rescue to help with s/n.

Mar 10, 2008 at 12:03 AM : I refuse to...

I refuse to beleive that the public in Kern County is not interested in having their animals spayed/neutered. The first free s/n day in 2006 brought over 1000 phone calls in a few hours for 100 appointments. The second day brought the phone lines down, and the appointments were booked in a matter of hours. All of the people that brought their pets were pleasant and appreciative. They were all low income, and their dogs were VERY well taken care of and obviously loved. There were no cancellations, and both days there were more animals done than were scheduled.

Kern County allotted 100K to s/n this year. And another 100K next year. The first County sponsored s/n day was long and hard, and several area vets volunteered. To read that the county spent 5K is utterly ridiculous and downright disappointing. Problem is, they are waiting for someone to swoop in and do this for them. It's not all that hard to put your own program together. The information on how to set up a successful program doesn't just fall in your lap- you have to do your homework, go see how other programs are set up, and get your hands dirty. Serve some long hard days working shoulder to shoulder with others at the other programs, and see how it's done. The money is there, the mobile truck is sitting idle - what's up with this??

Education doesn't work. It didn't work in L.A, and it won't work in Kern. Mandatory s/n and enforcement will. It costs much more to house and kill an animal than it does to fix the problem at the source, which is spay/neuter. If they'd throw some money at it now, the problem would begin to repair itself.

It would also help immensely if the shelter never released another animal on a s/n voucher unless it was to a rescue group. Countless animals and puppies have been released over the years that were not spayed or neutered.

The current state of letting breeders voice their opinions is hogwash. Most of them don't have business or kennel licenses, and they don't pay taxes. They make money, and contribute in a big way to animal overpopulation. If you don't beleive that, I'll sell you some swampland in Florida real cheap. They are busy making all the noise, while rescuers try to save one dog at a time - most of the time running negative on every adoption after s/n, vetting, vaccines, and food. Why would anyone in their right mind rescue? Walk the shelter - you'd be surprised how many of the animals are purebreds. If you open the Sunday newspaper and count the classifieds for puppies, you will come up with 128 ads! Why isn't anyone looking at this??? Where are our regulatory agencies that should be investigating this?

Thank you, James, for another sensitively and well written article. It's admirable that you are championing this cause. The animals can't speak for themselves, and I'm glad someone is doing it. Much Karma to you, James.

It's sad. Is it fixable? Heck, yea. But Kern County Animal Control and the useless Animal Commission will have to stop farting around and get a solid and consistent program on the table. It costs 60 to 80 bucks to s/n most animals with most of the programs out there across the state. It's costing Kern's taxpayers over 200 bucks of their hard earned tax money to house an animal just to kill it five days later. Simple dollars and cents. Spay/neuter should be the first priority of the department's project list.

If the people currently managing can't do this, then fire them and get people who can.

Mar 10, 2008 at 08:03 PM : The breeders...

The breeders are a very small minority of voting, tax-paying citizens who live in Kern County. Of course they will cry and whine and say they're being picked on at the slightest hint of regulation. That's a given. I'd say it's very likely most of the rest of our population would be in favor of breeding restrictions; whether breeding permit, mandatory spay/neuter or.... I think most people in this county are sick and tired of the killing and are ready to do whatever it takes to stop it.

The real stumbling block seems to be the people who are in charge of animal control; the director and the division chief. Over and over, we hear them say they aren't able to enforce the laws we have on the books now, so they don't want any any new regulations to enforce. Well, if they can't do the job, maybe we need to get someone who can. Other animal control departments across the state and nation seem to be managing just fine.

Originally, there was a breeding permit included in the proposed legislation that the A/C Commission is working on. It was dropped several months ago.. The a/c director was afraid the breeding permit would create civil disobedience and lawsuits from the breeders. The a/c chief was said to have voiced concern that HER breeder would have to pay a fee for each litter produced. (the a/c chief had recently purchased a $700 Yorkie puppy from a breeder) That's strange isn't it, when you stop to think her office is located in the building next to the one in which 18,000-plus dogs and cats were killed in 2007. Wouldn't you think she might have wanted to save the life at least one of the homeless dogs? Maybe it's even stranger that the commission members caved in to the demands of these two. One of the five commission members is a member of AKC and is a breeder herself, so it's to be expected she will put the interests of breeders over the lives of 18,000 dogs and cats. But what excuse do the other four commissioners have?

Mar 11, 2008 at 12:03 PM : After reading the...

After reading the Californian's articles and some of the associated comments from readers, it occurs to me that there may be a starting point somewhere in the middle ground. Perhaps a mandatory spay/neuter law with exemptions for breeders, working dogs, and "opt-out" pet owners. To "opt-out" of spay/nueturing, the pet owner would be required to show up to an education program given at select times (perhaps animal control could run it 2 times per week, say mid-week and weekend). The "opt-out" owners have, say 30 days, to complete the course to register a pet at a set rate; must produce valid ID and utility bill at the education program; the program would take at least 2 hrs; then those who stay and sign that they understand the material presented get a certificate to submit w/ the licensing papers to get the lower registration rate. The licensing system would have to be set up to accomodate a change in rates for those who opt to spay/neuter later (after they live w/ an unneutered animal for a while). The lowest rate would be for spayed/neutered animals and the highest rate for others.

Fees are easy to come up with for most dog/cat owners, but finding two hours plus travel time, etc on a weeknight or Saturday mid-day --I'm willing to bet most people would find they don't really feel so strongly about spay/neutering their pets as they might think; and those who do can make the effort to "opt-out". sarahb

Mar 11, 2008 at 01:03 PM : shbartling,...

shbartling,

Almost every mandatory spay-neuter law I've come across in covering this issue includes ways for breeders and the owners of working dogs to apply for, and recieve, a permit to keep their animals intact.

The opt-out idea is a new one for me. On first blush I would think it would create a situation in which irresponsible owners could get clearance to let their animal run in the street while in heat, breed and continue the problem.

Of course I don't know that irresonsible owners would have the patience to go through the training you mention.

What do other people think?

Oh, and the mandatory spay neuter idea has been embraced by the Kern County Board of Supervisors — at least for now.

Check out the story here.

James Burger

Mar 11, 2008 at 03:03 PM : I think the...

I think the commission members and the supervisors who are deciding this issue should spend a day along side an animal control worker who euthanizes animals. Let them hold the animals while the shots are being injected. It would be the perfect research to help them decide what to do about the problem.

Mar 12, 2008 at 09:03 AM : In...

In response to Sunday's article on the overpopulation problem in Kern County, there was some mention in Mr. Burger's report about vouchers for spay/neuter being available, but it was dismissed as being of little value. In Lois Henry’s accompanying opinion piece, the HOPE spokesman mentioned working with Kern Humane Society.

In 1972, The Bakersfield Californian ran articles very similar to Mr. Burger's and reported over 32,000 animals were killed in the dog pound of Kern County. Because of those articles a group was founded to educate and provide spay neuter assistance. That group eventually became Kern Humane Society.

Since then the number of animals slaughtered has lessened, due in part to education, awareness, programs such as the SPCA spay/neuter, The Californian's article in 2004 (which led to more adoptions), and Kern Humane Society. Kern Humane Society has been giving vouchers to assist with spay/neuter since 1976. In that time, the volunteers of the organization have issued more than 60,000 vouchers and spent more than a million dollars on veterinary fees.

There are two programs for Kern Humane Society spay/neuter vouchers.

The first program is a “discount coupon” of $10 for male cats, $15 for female cats and $20 for dogs. These coupons are redeemable with HOPE and almost every veterinarian in Kern County. Anyone who feels they need assistance to pay for spay/neuter of their pet can pick up a discount coupon at Kern Humane Society Thrift Shop.

The second program is for low income pet owners who have taken responsibility for their animal’s basic needs by paying for their shots. KHS requires proof, from a vet, of rabies shots and Parvo-distemper for dogs and FVRCP and leukemia for cats. Store receipts and labels from shots purchased at feed stores will also be accepted. With proof of shots the voucher will pay at least $50 on a female dog, $35 on a male dog, $40 on a female cat, and $25 on a male cat. This amount covers almost the entire cost of spay/neuter if the owner decides to use the HOPE clinic. These vouchers will be accepted by most veterinarians in Kern County, but because of high veterinary charges, the vouchers must be supplemented by owners out of their own pocket. Kern Humane Society vouchers can be combined with ALPHA and Cat People vouchers if necessary.

In September 2007 Kern Humane Society offered Animal Control $30,000 to supplement the $100,000 they were offered by the Board of Supervisors to provide low cost or free spay/neuter to pet owners. Kern Humane Society also paid almost $2,000 toward the joint spay/neuter program with SPCA and Kern County Animal Control in November 2007. So far we are still waiting for KCAC to come up with a way to move forward with any other program or activity.

If any of your readers need our assistance they can come by the shop at 900 21st Street from 10 A.M. to 3 P.M. Tuesday through Saturday. If any of them would like to volunteer they can come by on Saturday and talk to us.

Kern Humane Society volunteers put their time and money where their mouth is. We believe our vouchers have helped to control some of the population explosion, but much more must be done. It's sad that those charged with making a difference, Denise Haynes and David Price, appear to be the least interested.

Susan Bennett
Spay/Neuter Director, Kern Humane Society

Mar 12, 2008 at 10:03 PM : My...

My credentials: 89% of the dogs and cats in my home are rescues, every dog and cat in my home is sterilized and every dog is microchipped. I have never bred a litter in my life. I am an active member of the Tehachapi Mountain Dog Fanciers.

I vehemently oppose mandatory spay neuter (MSN) laws. I think every day that allows people to throw out their animals like yesterday's stinky trash is another day that diminishes our society. I do not think that slapping people with fines for not surgically sterilizing their pets will do a single thing toward changing how well they retain their animals. They will still think it's okay to dump them. (side note: If our government agencies kill animals because of an over-population, then what is an acceptable population? How many dogs and cats should we allow in this county?)

The MSN being discussed is not for Bakersfield, it is for the entire county outside of Bakersfield and other incorporated cities. I don't think anyone in Bakersfield should have a thing to say about a law that will not affect them. The people outside of Bakersfield were 90-95% in favor of education, low-cost or no-cost surgeries, enforcing the laws that are now on the books, and absolutely against MSN or special permits for random numbers of animals (stick a finger in the air and pull out a number). The fact that their County Supervisors have chosen to ignore the will of the people will not be ignored on the next election day. The people who came out to the workshops were not a bunch of breeders who make loads of money off producing lots of litters. The majority were people who are passionate about dogs and about their breed. Making any money off the dogs is rare and the thought of making a profit is a joke. The majority of people in the county who came to the workshops are folks who have old-fashioned notions about a government being By the people and For the people.

Previous writers have pointed to the HOPE program as proof that no one will use low-cost services. HOPE is in Bakersfield. I have never heard of the program outside of the Animal Control Commission meetings. In Tehachapi, there is a waiting list to get your pet sterilized. One local veterinary does over 100 such surgeries every month. The cost for a 45-pound female dog runs over $200 even with a voucher. That's almost the monthly grocery budget for a small family.

There is not a bunch of veterinarians in the county willing to do low-cost surgeries. Animal Control has reached out and cannot get the vets to agree to do surgeries for less money. Dave Price and Denise Haynes have not dropped the ball on this issue. They are dealing with reality.

Oh, and male dogs are not castrated "through the belly", as stated by a previous writer, unless a testicle has not descended normally.

Mar 17, 2008 at 02:03 AM : No one...

No one disputes that way too many dogs and cats are being killed - how to handle this terrible situation is the real issue. Family, neighbors, life experiences and especially government like animal control, BLM and Fish & Game all play a major role in perpetuating the deplorable disrespect of other fellow animals on our beautiful earth. Whatever happened to protection and stewardship of animals anyway? Why isn’t this the underlying theme of these proposed harsh laws?

Laws like the ones some of Kern society seems to be clamoring for will do absolutely nothing to change a thing because it will take years to implement the program. In the meantime the deaths will continue.

The proposed ammendments change land use rights and violate pet owners' 4th ammendment rights on search and seizure. A condition of the Fancier permit for up to 10 cats/dogs is that: "The permittee agrees that the director shall be granted full access at all reasonable times to inspect the permittee's premises,records and operations."

The practical and permanent solution is to 100% subsidize spay/neuter, teach animal literacy in all grades of school with the same vigor as Math and English. and use every media tool available to raise consciousness, dispel the myths and wives tales regarding the intelligence, cleanliness and treatment of animals. How about crate training and obedience classes on TV? It would be a lot more productive airing pet education programs on primetime TV in place of all the obnoxious celebrity gossip filling the news daily. Faith based group leaders have the power to raise consciousness of pet care and literacy in their sermons and should be encouraged to discuss the subject frequently.

As I see it, Kern Animal Control’s primary role has been to act on complaints from the public and dispose of dogs and cats. This is not a contribution to the reduction of unwanted births or protection of animals. To the contrary, their officers pick up animals already in a bad situation then end their lives within 4-5 day. There’s something VERY wrong here. For starters, a Safer test is used to determine if a dog/cat is adoptable. (Gee, could this test be the reason so many animals are euthanized?) Any of us that rescue typically keep an animal for at least a month to correctly assess temperament, adaptability to other animals, children and other behavior traits before making decisions. This determines the rehoming criteria. Animal Control sells adoptable animals to anyone who pays the fee…no screening, house/yard check, follow up or support system. Again, this is a standard process for rescuers and breeders. Worse yet, when someone brings in a litter to them there is no effort or requirement for the person to have the sire and dam sterilized. These policies are downright irresponsible!!!

Kern AC was sued around October 2004 for not following Cal. State Law requiring holding of animals for 4-5 days; euthanizing animals the day they arrived giving the animals NO chance of being adopted; untrained personnel euthanizing animals, no access to impounded animals. Introduction to the suit read: “This case involves an on-going pattern and practice of abuse and failure to follow state and federal law at the Animal Shelters in Kern County. Petitioner is asking that the County of Kern be ordered to follow state and federal laws as specified herein, to cease practices which prevent public access to impounded animals, and to stop certain abusive practices which are harmful to impounded animals without any reciprocal benefit to the animals or the public.” The case ended on Oct 27, 2006. Giving them more power in light of their track record will increase their reign of terror and intimidation on the public, confiscation and financial hostage of our pets and driving people underground.

Yes, enough IS enough! Quit destroying the animals sharing my Garden of Eden!

Apr 1, 2008 at 08:04 AM : Ok. I'm laying...

Ok. I'm laying down the law on my animal blogs.

We've had to lock a similar blog because it was hijacked by two or three people who took it as a forum to fling rhetorical barbs at each other.

These blogs are a tool for people to discuss issues and have a dialogue, not spam pre-prepared mandatory spay-neuter campaign literature attacking the other side for being unethical, greedy or — as posters on both sides are suggesting of the other — Nazis.

I hope the posters take that how I mean it — I will be watching this and other blogs on animal topics closely.

That said, I hate deleting posts. I want dialogue to continue here. But true dialogue can't continue if two or three posters hijack the blog and drive everyone away.

So, please stick to the topics. Engage in dialogue about the issue — not attack posting.

James Burger

Californian staff writer

Apr 2, 2008 at 10:04 PM : James, ...

James,

In one of your comments re: mandatory spay/neuter you indicated you were going to check it out yourself. Have you found any reliable statistics regarding the long term success of this by chance? I've checked around but haven't found any peer reviewed studies. The topic merits a serious discussion and perhaps we can get back to it. The reason for asking is that the materials I found on the web indicate it causes other problems like abandonment and reduced licensing (example: pet-law.com). I happen to agree with them on all points based on my own experience. However, if anyone can convince me there is real benefit to this ordinance I'm open minded.

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." Mahatma Gandhi

Apr 7, 2008 at 10:04 AM : I'm aware that...

I'm aware that Kern County has several shelters that rescue animals. I'm curious why the KCAC does not hand over some of the dogs/cats to rescue groups in the area. Is that against their policy, or do the shelters just not have room?

Apr 7, 2008 at 10:04 AM : Lovely, Kern County...

Lovely,

Kern County Animal Control releases animals back to the public in three ways — owner redemption of a lost pet, adoption of an animal to a new owner, and release to organized rescue groups.

Several years ago the shelter and rescues had some trust issues with each other and the release to rescues was fairly minimal.

But in 2007 animal rescue groups took 2,677 animals out of Kern County Animal Shelters.

James

Apr 7, 2008 at 10:04 AM : KCAC has been woking...

KCAC has been woking hard recently to formulate more positive, mutually beneficial relationships with local rescue groups. Keep in mind that shelters and resuce groups are not one and the same. Yes, there are a couple of shelters in the area, but they are also quite overwhelmed with the sheer quantity of animals being abandoned/turned in by the general public.

Rescue groups are usually small groups of people who are also doing their very best to keep up, but right now there simply is not enough room anywhere for the vast overpopulation problem we have in this county. Until we get the overall number of unwanted pets down, there will never be a satisfactory solution to this issue.

Apr 7, 2008 at 02:04 PM : James, Thank you...

James,

Thank you for that information. I volunteer at a local shelter, but am a very new volunteer, so I didn't know if they took any animals from the Animal Control.

Lovelygirl988

Bloggers,

I'm pleased to see so many people advocating for the animals. Reading these blogs and the articles in the paper made me aware of the issues at hand. Until reading these articles, I had no idea how bad the situation was.

From what I understand of the situation, I'm pro-MSN laws. I don't feel it's punishing "good pet owners" nor do I feel it would put breeders out of business. I'd rather invest my money into something that can save lives in the FUTURE. I realize that animals are dying every day, and to be honest I don't know what could remedy the situation today. I do my best to rescue animals and provide medical care for stray animals (and spay or neuter them). In our household, we agree that when we get a pet (even a street cat), that animal gets spayed/neutered.

Apr 10, 2008 at 01:04 AM : KCAC...

KCAC hasn't changed their policies. Approximately 4 weeks ago I got involved with a situation in Inyokern. It was explained that a friend Hank had 2 strokes last September and was paralyzed on one side. He had 11 chow/shepherd mixes being kept inside his 2 room house. Why? Because a sheriff's car drove by at 3 a.m. and hit the siren whenever any of the dogs were out. When I got on the scene we convinced Hank to let the dogs out to feed and water them and to get an idea of what we were dealing with. County Animal Control stopped by via our request and we explained we were attempting to move the dogs to a local horse rancher's property who graciously offered free use of his kennels. Someone also arranged for Valley Fence to make the fence escape proof. We spent Monday & Wednesday working with the dogs but we weren't able to them on leashes to transport them. On Friday morning 2 AC officers and a Sheriff threatened to break down the door and arrest Hank on an old driving related warrant unless he signed the dogs over to AC. (I wasn't there so the info was from Hank after the fact.) They were assessed using the Safer test and all were scheduled for euthanasia the next Friday. Someone called Ann Walters from Rainbow Rescue (501 C 3) in California City and she agreed to help us. She contacted the Ridgecrest Shelter and arranged for them all to be spayed/neutered, vaccinated and chipped for transport on Friday, the day they were scheduled for you know what.

Friday was a nightmare. AC refused to release the dogs to the original kennels because they felt he was too old and AC had some sort of problem with him years ago. (He's a greeter at the Ridgecrest Walmart.) We started calling commercial kennels as precious hours went by. Finally Reston Kennels located near Lake Isabella agreed to board them for $4 a day per dog. Animal Control also contacted them to discuss that the dogs were unsocialized and some were semi feral. Some $1300 later we crated up the dogs and were off on a 2 vehicle carvan on a 42 mile ride on the 2 lane winding Highway 178 to Weldon. They've been there for just over 2 weeks. I visit them and provide them with dog toys, rawhides and high quality kibble. They play just like puppies with toys! A number of them came to me and didn't mind being petted. Some of the young dogs are shy, probably because their former owner was so ill. I had noticed tape worms in some of the stools and they all got Drontal the last time I visited last Wednesday. The same day, I had a message that Hank was found dead. It's interesting that we couldn't get adult services to help for Hank but KCAC did their job by the book. I can't help to wonder if the stress, fear and loss of his dogs under intense duress contributed to Hank's death. What a tragedy...

It's going to be difficult commuting from Tehachapi to Weldon to socialize the dogs but it's my fond hope these dogs are rehomed when the time comes and live full secure lives.

I'm sure there is more than 1 side to this story. The fences were only about 3 feet so some of the dogs hopped over then roamed and neighbors complained. However, death is the harshest of punishment for getting out of a yard.