Press Release: AB 1634 Exposed / Hearing Dates Set

AB 1634 Exposed / Hearing Dates Set

Animal Shelter Costs Double Following Mandatory Spay/Neuter Law Claims that a law to force the sterilization of dogs and cats in California “will save millions of taxpayer dollars” are being discounted after government documents show that animal control expenses have nearly doubled in the county that serves as the model for the proposed statewide measure.

In arguably the most contentious bill before the California Legislature this year, AB 1634 by Assemblyman Lloyd Levine (D-Van Nuys) will require nearly all pet owners to spay or neuter their animals or face a $500 fine.

Claiming taxpayer savings as the basis for the bill, proponents point to a 1995 mandatory spay/neuter law in Santa Cruz County that serves as the blueprint for AB 1634. In a recent radio interview, Assemblyman Levine said that based on the Santa Cruz ordinance, he assumes that California taxpayers can expect to “save $200 million or more a year.”

But records obtained by PetPAC from the California State Controller’s Office paint a very different picture: Animal control expenses in Santa Cruz County have skyrocketed since the law took effect, from $635,296 in 1995 to more than $1.1 million in 2005 – an increase of 93%.

In contrast, animal control expenses statewide decreased more than 10% during the same 10-year period, according to government figures supplied by Judie Mancuso, the bill’s own sponsor.

Ignoring clear evidence to the contrary, proponents of AB 1634 contend that local governments will save money despite being saddled with a new law that is expensive to implement, a burden to administer, and impossible to enforce.

“I am no longer surprised by the stunning erroneous claims that supporters of AB 1634 are making,” said Bill Hemby, Chairman of PetPAC, an organization dedicated to the rights of pets and their owners. “What concerns me is that backers of the bill have no problem giving state lawmakers flat-out false information on which to base their vote. That takes a lot of nerve, I’ll give them that.”

AB 1634 will be heard in the Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee on July 9. If passed, it will be heard next in the Senate Local Government Committee on July 11.

For more information on No on AB 1634 go to PetPAC.net.