I think IÂ’m going to start a new segment to this blog. You all know how part of my job is to review, analyze and track legislation. Well, I think IÂ’m going to start a category exclusively for off the wall legislation. For our first installment we have a piece of legislation that I became aware of a few months back, while reading the Sacramento Bee. It was so bizarre I thought it wouldnÂ’t have any legs (thatÂ’s political lingo for it wonÂ’t stand for too long and if it does, it won't have the strength to move through to a vote). Well, for the first time this year I was wrong.

Essentially, Assembly Bill 1634 “would prohibit any person from owning or possessing any [mixed-breed] cat or dog over the age of 4 months that has not been spayed or neutered… The bill would make a violation of these provisions punishable by a prescribed civil penalty.”

Yes, you read that correctly: only pure-bred cats and dogs would be allowed to reproduce. Which brings up the next question: Who decides which breeds are able to escape castration and which donÂ’t? Oh, they took care of that too!

A pure-bred cat or dog “is a valid breed when it is recognized by an approved registry or association, and complies with at least one of the following:
(A) His or her cat or dog is used to show or competeÂ…
(B) The cat or dog has earned, or is in the process of earning, a…title from an approved purebred registry or association.”

So if you're little Fido or Fifi is a mutt, you're both screwed! IÂ’ll stop here because thatÂ’s the crux of the bill right there. So now in America we have a caste system for animals and forced sterilization, regardless of the ownerÂ’s wish and ability to assume financial and social responsibility. Hmmm, I wonder what these legislators will try legislating next?

Posted by: Michele at 09:56 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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