Chicagoist: Pet Sterilization Ordinance Moves Forward

lamgray

Thu, 15 May 2008 18:25:31 -0600

Oh man, that dog in the front is so cute. I'll take 8.

Ingrid

Thu, 15 May 2008 18:16:34 -0600

But what about the guys who get those 'neuticals' for their dogs? It's going to look like they still have their manhood intact! Probably the easiest way to handle this would be if a dog attacked someone and then if said dog was found out to be intact, then the owner would get fined AND have to get the dog altered. But this isn't really about attacks, is it? Isn't this more about just trying to control the animal population?

AlfonsoBedoyaJr

Thu, 15 May 2008 15:11:43 -0600

Ed Burke sez "it's pretty simple for the policeman to raise the dog's tail and see whether it's spayed or neutered." Not only is Ed pretty ignorant about dog anatomy . . I can't wait to see what the commenters at Second City Cop have to say about this assignment.

royce76

Thu, 15 May 2008 14:27:24 -0600

good idea but how to assess fines??? Just make all future owners of pets over 20 lbs. pay a big fee like for a city sticker that money can go to pay the "nutz checkers" "leash enforcers" and doggie kitty go bye bye vans.

rhoswhen

Thu, 15 May 2008 14:22:33 -0600

Ingrid: Yea, that's true, I guess it's not an argument for neutering your dog, but uh, I think my dog is now past the point of no return. He's 7 (42 in doggy years and due for a mid-life crisis soon) and I think that lopping them off now would be more detrimental to his health and comfort than if he were a puppy. I wonder how this ordinance will effect older dogs like mine.

anniec

Thu, 15 May 2008 14:22:09 -0600

I think this is one of the better ordinances being introduced this month...there are lot more full of crap ones! what I find disturbing is the ad/poster. I can't really tell, but it looks like a pile of dead animals. jesus, I think that's a bit extreme.

Registered Guest

Thu, 15 May 2008 14:11:34 -0600

I'm all for this, but is Burke aware that female dogs don't have balls? You can't exactly lift her tail to see if her uterus is gone. In any case, I got my cat from the Humane Society out in Will County (for serious, Anti-Cruelty? A three-page form? whatever) and her spay and all shots were covered in the $75 adoption fee. She actually was late on her yearly shots, so they called a local vet and I went over and got her caught up for free.

Ingrid

Thu, 15 May 2008 14:02:10 -0600

rhoswhen: But that is not an argument for not neutering your dog. Of course there are going to be neutered dogs who are vicious. I've seen them many times. But why take the chance? Every time a dog bites, the first thing an owner says is "Oh..he's NEVER done this before!" And I just don't understand why someone would not want to do this very simple operation. It's just healthier for your dog in the long run. I realize a lot of men and some women out there have issues with the whole 'masculinity' thing, but people really have to just stop with these nonsensensical transference issues. Smussy: I would think that both breeders and people who show dogs would have to be licensed if they pass this law. That makes sense as well. There are too many people out there just breeding dogs willy nilly with no knowledge of what they're doing. They're inbreeding, passing along bad traits, etc. It really should be something that is controlled and licensed. Maybe within our lifetimes we could possibly see the ridiculous number of dogs and cats that are locked up in shelters decrease dramatically. That could only be a good thing.

Kevin Robinson

Thu, 15 May 2008 13:54:10 -0600

smussy: From the Sun Times article: Exceptions to the spay and neutering mandate would be granted to those who apply for a breeder’s license, triggering a criminal background check.... Exceptions would also be made for show-dogs, guard dogs, service dogs and any dog or cat certified by a licensed veterinarian as having a “valid health reason not to be sterilized.”

rhoswhen

Thu, 15 May 2008 13:46:39 -0600

Ingrid: My 7-year-old German Shepherd/Chow/Husky mix is not neutered and was attacked by a neutered beagle. I think it all depends on the dog.

smussy

Thu, 15 May 2008 13:44:21 -0600

i'm for this, but would you get a special dispensation if you had a show dog?

Ingrid

Thu, 15 May 2008 13:03:36 -0600

They might say that they charge only $75, but there are added costs. I know someone who had their dog fixed at an SPCA (in another city). When the final bill comes, you pay for inoculations they give the dog, if they keep it overnight you pay a kennel fee, pain meds, etc. The final bill for the $75 spay was close to $200. A spay is probably a bit more expensive than a neuter, but when they say they 'fix' the dog for $75, that is JUST the surgery, not all of the necessary extras. That being said, I am glad to hear this law is in the works. Not only is it better for the community at large, it's healthier for the animal. Cancer is the usual outcome for dogs who don't get spayed or neutered, and ANY un-neutered male dog can be like a loaded gun. Years ago I had a large breed male dog (neutered, of course) who was attacked by an un-neutered Golden Retriever. A freaking Golden Retriever!! The picture of perfection and mellowest of breeds!! You just never know. And if you complain about the cost that means you can't afford it and if you cannot afford to take care of your animal, then you shouldn't have one.

matty

Thu, 15 May 2008 12:57:51 -0600

It's 10 bucks at the anti-cruelty society. I had to wait til 8 months as my boy cat was malnurished as a baby so we needed him to gain weight.

mike_thoms

Thu, 15 May 2008 12:29:53 -0600

Even if you can afford the procedure, it's only $75 at Paws, compared to hundreds at most vets.