Supervisors Adopt Ordinance Requiring Owners to Spay/Neuter Pets

The law applies only to unincorporated areas of the county, and veterinarians can grant exemptions

By Lara Cooper, Noozhawk Staff Writer | Published on 11.18.2009

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In response to shelters packed with animals waiting to be adopted, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors adopted an ordinance last week making it mandatory for all pet owners to spay or neuter their cats and dogs, save only those who seek a certificate from their veterinarians.

After hours of public comment on the issue from animal-control workers, shelter volunteers and pet-loving members of the public, the board voted 3-1 to approved the ordinance, with Supervisor Joe Centeno dissenting and Supervisor Joni Gray absent.

The ordinance applies only to the unincorporated areas of the county. Dog or cat owners could leave their pets intact with a veterinary certificate to allow purchase of an unaltered animal license, and all other owners would be required to have their dog or cat spayed or neutered.

The ordinance will take effect at the first of the year, and a $10 fee for each unaltered animal license will be charged to the owner. Owners will have a six-month grace period to license animals, then could face a $250 fine.

The county also implemented the Responsible Pet Owner Pilot Program, which would use one-time monies to expand temporary staffing in Animal Services for outreach and education about licensing. No costs would be passed on to the cities that contract with the county for services.

Last May, the Public Health Department came to the board with a report on the status of a local ordinance and asked for guidance.

The board voted to create a task force to look into the issue, and it returned to the board with draft language for an ordinance. The task force began last September and held meetings in Santa Barbara, Santa Maria and Buellton, and met 15 times.

After public comment, all three south county supervisors were supportive of the ordinance.

“I don’t think any of us wants to impose rules and regulations on our citizens unless there’s a health and safety issue,” Second District Supervisor Janet Wolf said. “I am absolutely convinced that this ordinance is a good thing.”

The comments became impassioned when Centeno talked about his dog that he hadn’t had altered, but that he’s never been an irresponsible pet owner.

“When somebody tells me I have to do something with my pet, philosophically, I don’t agree that I should have to do that,” he said.

He called the ordinance “punitive” on responsible pet owners. “My pet has never been to the shelter or run loose and never, ever been a burden to the county,” he said. “It’s not that I don’t empathize with people working in the shelters. ... I don’t think we’re going to get the result we want with this ordinance.”

First District Supervisor Salud Carbajal took issue with Centeno’s comments.

“I had hoped that what was before us was a compromise,” he said. “I do feel that the exemption certificate doesn’t make this as mandatory and some individuals think.”

He said he understood Centeno’s consternation with the $10 surcharge, but that the ordinance did allow for people to keep their pets intact.

Click here for more information on spaying and neutering as well as animal adoptions.

— Noozhawk staff writer Lara Cooper can be reached at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Comments (9)

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» John Q wrote on 11.18.09 @ 07:18 PM

Salud, you are a fool. The Nanny state strikes again.

» sbnative wrote on 11.18.09 @ 07:50 PM

The vast majority of companion animals are best spayed or neutered. Responsible breeders will be exempt. (Irresponsible ones will be shut down—hopefully.)

What’s the problem??? Centeno is identifying with his dog’s intactness a bit too much, I’d say…

» Supervisor's going Liberal wrote on 11.19.09 @ 05:27 AM

The liberals want to control you—be careful tax and spender on the board—wolf-Carby-& Farr-union controled puppets—

all big spenders of your money—vote them out—

» Janet Wolf, Salud Carbajal, are you serious? wrote on 11.19.09 @ 07:53 AM

I don’t need my government regulating this aspect of my life, and I don’t appreciate the agencies that felt they had to go running to the supervisors on this.

My dog isn’t spayed.  He’s an indoor dog who is always supervised when outdoors, and he is well-bred.  I don’t appreciate the inconvenience of having to seek an exemption certificate.

I can’t believe I’m actually siding with Joe Centeno on this one, but CARBAJAL and WOLF are proving way too big government for my taste.

» ABC wrote on 11.19.09 @ 08:38 AM

If it makes my neighbor’s pitbull chill out to have his huevos cut off then I’m all for it.

» Jan Anderson wrote on 11.19.09 @ 06:02 PM

When the government takes away the right for citizens to make choices for themselves, what does that say about the government.  Health and safety and spay and neuter, one has nothing to do with the other.  Talk about misinformation.  Sounds like someone has been working for the animal rights organization, HSUS or PETA.  This lead to various reasons for people not to license their pets or give rabies.  Maybe someone needs to come up with plan B instead of everyone becoming a target of animal control

» Dogs' Mom wrote on 11.22.09 @ 04:39 PM

Sbnative:  Actually Centeno did not say that his dog was intact.  His dog is actually spayed.  What he did say was that he sometimes wishes he had a puppy from that great dog, and that it was his right to decide whether or not to spay his dog.

» Denise Burke wrote on 12.02.09 @ 11:54 AM

I’m going to start making arrangements to leave this county.  This is overstepping the line.  Pulling my company (and employees/taxpayers with jobs!) and starting to look for better alternatives.  To those who don’t see the problem:  screwing with God’s perfection.  I had a 11-year old German Shepherd who never fathered and was not fixed and was the perfect dog.  I watched and observed and chose not to mess with perfection.  He was the perfect dog as made without alteration.  I have a 4 month old purebred German Shepherd dog now that I reserve the right to decide whether to strip him of all of his hormones and create a lump of fur rather than a dog.  It would be different if fixing them was done like humans but it’s not.  They remove the ball sack entirely so no hormones - no more playful, full of energy dog. How dare you!  Land of the Free!  Not here.

» voting my supervisor out wrote on 12.02.09 @ 03:18 PM

I voted for Farr last time but no more. Will vote for whoever is against this ordinance in the next election no matter what other issues there are. This is how strongly I feel!

 

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