The Humane Society of the United States, the nation's largest animal protection organization, supports Aldermen Edward Burke and Virginia Rugai's ordinance to provide incentives for spaying and neutering dogs and cats, and thanks Chicago lawmakers for addressing this important animal welfare issue.
Every year, more than 3 million dogs and cats are euthanized in animal shelters nationwide — including 19,000 pets in the City of Chicago — because not enough people choose to adopt. Spaying and neutering, at this time, is the only permanent, 100-percent effective method of birth control for dogs and cats, and this legislation provides an incentive for people to sterilize their animals and reorients public policy to expect that animal caretakers will see that their animals are sterilized.
It is simply wrong to refer to this ordinance as simply a "mandatory spay and neuter measure" because it does allow responsible pet owners to opt out of spay or neuter for their animals for numerous reasons. Under this legislation, people who elect not to spay or neuter their animals in order to breed their dog or cat must pay a permit fee. In that sense, this legislation provides incentives for people to spay and neuter, and it amounts to something of a differential license fee for people who do not want to spay or neuter their animals.
This is a win-win ordinance for pet owners and the community. Private organizations and public institutions bear the financial burden of the dog and cat overpopulation problem, through animal control services, animal sheltering, and other programs. It only makes sense that people who choose to spay and neuter their pets and help reduce the number of animals competing for a limited number of homes should shoulder a lower financial burden than those people who choose to breed their animals. The ordinance provides a financial incentive for people to spay and neuter their pets, but still leaves the choice in the hands of each individual pet owner.
Additionally, the legislation requires those selling animals to list their intact animal permit number, providing protection to consumers and letting them know they are purchasing from a breeder who is playing by the rules and following the law.
There are many ways to address this problem, and this ordinance is a proactive step that responsibly attempts to reduce euthanasia and to lower the social and economic costs of sheltering and euthanizing homeless animals. The HSUS remains open to working with critics of this legislation to reach any logical accommodation that puts this community in a stronger position to combat the scourge of pet overpopulation.
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The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization — backed by 10.5 million Americans, or one of every 30. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education, and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty — On the web at humanesociety.org.
