The Humane Society of the United States, the nation's largest animal protection organization, today praised the Los Angeles City Council for passage of an ordinance, by a vote of 14 to 1, to promote the spaying and neutering of most pets in the city. The HSUS praised the policy as a common-sense measure to curb the tragic overpopulation of unwanted dogs and cats.
"Spaying and neutering is a proven means of combating the pet overpopulation problem," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The HSUS. "Los Angeles is leading the way with a policy that will save animal lives and taxpayer dollars."
The costs of uncontrolled pet breeding are overwhelming to cities and counties nationwide. Communities spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to control and eliminate unwanted pets and stray animals. Significant resources are spent collecting, feeding and caring for stray animals; reuniting lost animals with their owners or adopting them out; or euthanizing unadoptable animals. Not only do surplus animals drain the coffers of local government and shelters, but the emotional toll on employees is also substantial.
It has been estimated that in California alone, local governments spend over $250 million every year to collect, control and euthanize the state's unwanted overpopulation of cats and dogs. Besides the savings to taxpayers, there is a public safety advantage to measures such as the one approved today. Studies have shown that intact animals are two times more likely to bite than those who have been spayed or neutered, and 95 percent of all fatal dog maulings are committed by unsterilized dogs.
For more information on the problem of pet overpopulation and how you can help The HSUS address this issue, please visit www.humanesociety.org .
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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.
