CJ Dablo
Staff Writer
In a first-reading vote, Long Beach City Councilmembers approved an ordinance that aims to address pet overpopulation. With a few exceptions, the proposed rule will require Long Beach residents to spay and/or neuter their pet dogs and rabbits. There is already an ordinance that requires cats to be fixed.
With a veterinarian’s certification, there are medical exemptions available for pets that are unable to endure surgery or are incapable of breeding.
In addition, purebred show dogs, “working” animals (e.g. guide dogs for the disabled or dogs in police K-9 units or search-and-rescue agencies, etc.), dogs that are trained to herd other animals and even dogs that are considered “breeding stock” for herding purposes are all exempt from the ordinance. Owners must provide documentation to qualify for the exemptions.
Although Long Beach Animal Care Services (ACS) also serves Signal Hill, that city’s pets aren’t affected by Long Beach’s proposed plan. Signal Hill Community Services Director Pilar Alcivar-McCoy confirmed in an email last week that Signal Hill adopted Long Beach’s animal ordinances “as they existed on Sept. 7, 2009.” Long Beach updated some of their ordinances since that time, but Signal Hill has not adopted the changes, Alcivar-McCoy said.
The second reading of the Long Beach ordinance is scheduled for Tuesday, March 17. Councilmembers debated the proposed law on March 10, and in the first reading, they approved the plan in a 6-0 vote. Councilmembers Lena Gonzalez and Roberto Uranga were not present for the vote last Tuesday. The 4th District has not yet elected a new representative to the Council dais. There is already a municipal ordinance on the books that requires cats to be fixed by the time they reach 4 months old.
At last Tuesday’s meeting, Vice Mayor Suja Lowenthal urged the Council to pass the ordinance.
“Knowingly or unknowingly, pet owners are contributing to our overpopulation, and it’s become clear that we’re not going to adopt our way out of this problem,” Lowenthal said. “We know that the vast majority of dogs selected or picked up by ACS are unaltered, and that by reducing the number of animals being impounded, we can focus more resources and volunteer hours on adoptions, public outreach and mobile clinics, which we know all work.”
Ted Stevens, manager of Long Beach ACS, told the Council that the ordinance emphasizes education of residents, not citations. He acknowledged that citations are a part of the new program, but he described how the staff responsible for enforcement will also offer vouchers and other resources to residents who may be looking for low-cost opportunities to spay and neuter their pets.
“Our focus is more about getting compliance and helping the individual pet owners and not coming down on them with a hammer,” Stevens said.
If the ordinance passes next week, the license fees will be increased as of Oct. 1. As far as those fees go, owners might be motivated to spay or neuter their dogs soon. According to a staff report from the Department of Parks, Recreation & Marine, the license cost for residents with altered dogs will increase from $20 to $28. Seniors will still enjoy a discounted rate, but their license costs for altered canines will increase from $10 to $14.
The rules are different for those residents who already have licenses for the dogs that are not spayed or neutered. According to Stevens, currently, more than 3,000 unaltered dogs have licenses in the city. In October, the license fee for unaltered dogs will be increased from $95 to $105. Fifth District Councilmember Stacy Mungo proposed an exception to the spay/neuter mandate to cover unaltered dogs that have a current registration as of Oct. 1. These particular dog owners will have to pay careful attention to the new rules. In these cases, owners should never let their license lapse and should never lose their dog. Under this rule, Mungo explained that if there is a lapse in the registration or if the unaltered hound runs away and is picked up by ACS, the dog must be spayed or neutered.
There aren’t any changes to Signal Hill’s license fees. In an email, Stevens confirmed on Wednesday that the Signal Hill City Council would have to approve any increase in fees that affect its own residents. According to the City of Signal Hill’s website, residents are charged $20 to license altered dogs and $95 to license unaltered dogs. Seniors aged 60 and over who wish to qualify for a discount are allowed one altered dog per household and are only charged $10 for a license.
According to the staff report from the Long Beach Department of Parks, Recreation & Marine, the city will face an estimated loss in revenue of $187,500 due to the difference between the license fees for altered pets and the fees for unaltered pets. The report also states that the proposed program has budgeted $21,000 to hire an animal-license inspector to work on a part-time basis, $5,000 toward educational materials, and $30,000 for a spay-and-neuter voucher program to aid owners with the cost of compliance. Stevens noted in his presentation to the City Council that there may be grant opportunities or partnerships available for the program.
Long Beach Animal Care Services Manager Ted Stevens walks a young pit-bull mix to a patch of grass at the city’s shelter facilities. Shortly after this photo was taken, this canine found a new home.
Although he eventually voted in favor of the ordinance, 8th District Councilmember Al Austin expressed reservations with the mandate. In addition to budget concerns, he pointed out that Long Beach’s animal shelter, located on the far east side of town, is a considerable distance from many other parts of the city and that compliance may be problematic for working-class and low-income families.
Just before he voted Tuesday night, Austin criticized the current system of licensing that relies on an “honor system” for residents to register their pets in the first place.
Earlier that night, Stevens had cited statistics from the American Veterinary Medical Association, which estimates that there are about 102,000 dogs in Long Beach. He added that more than 35,000 dogs are registered in the city.
Austin called the new policy “flawed.”
“I think it’s a fallacy to believe that mandatory spay and neutering is going to all of a sudden change the way people in Long Beach deal with their pets,” Austin said, as he urged the Council to address the low number of registered dogs. “We have an issue with about!60,000 pets out there that aren’t registered today.”
More Information
(to adopt a pet)
Long Beach Animal Care Services
(562) 570-7387
