CA Healthy Pets Act: A Dangerous Law (too-early spay)

mowiccan · Joined: 17 Feb 2007 Posts: 5 Location: Tennessee

CA Healthy Pets Act: A Dangerous Law

For anyone not believing any harm comes from the too-early spay
commonly used to rescue but not appropriate for informed consent
surgeries, please contact me. I am very familiar with the early spay
as my main work is in purebred dog rescue, and have utilized this
surgery when appropriate during rescue work.

I have also bred one litter (in 30 years in my breed). One of the
pups was spayed a bit earlier than normal due to having to have
another procedure done. When she developed very spindly legs in
stark contrast to her other littermates, I found it unattractive but
thought nothing further until the owner contacted me saying this
young dog had fractured her hind leg stepping in a hole in her own
backyard. Now I am convinced there is an association. There are
studies showing that for late-to-mature lines or breeds removing the
ovaries/hormones can have adverse affect on bone development. To add
insult to injury, the owner also reports unexpected dog aggression to
outside dogs (she lives with another dog fine). This is in complete
contrast to her littermates who are model citizens. Again, dog
aggression for some reason (hormones again?) seems to be worse in
dogs who undergo the early spay.

Before someone posts that you can just get a letter from a vet and
spay later, go and read the bill yourself: The bill allows the
extension but specifies a $500 fine if the dog is NOT spay/neutered
by 6-1/2 months of age! I just can't believe the CVMA would have
signed off on this! And yet they did (so far).

This reads very suspiciously like a cash cow for local animal control
agencies. And bear in mind this bill allows local jurisdictions to
set "breeding permit fees" at whatever level they wish so they can
underwrite the cost of administering & enforcing this bill.

Please realize this is just my opinion & observations. I do urge
everyone to keep an open mind when discussing this. I just read an
very thoughtful letter on this subject by a past president of the
CVMA, John Hamil, DVM. You can read it on NAIA's website
here: http://www.naiaonline.org/issues/John_Hamil,_DVM_letter_to_CVMA.htm

Diane Tebault
golden Gate Springer Rescue
www.homestead.com/springers
Artemis Springers
www.homestead.com/artemisspringers
h 510-482-3199

Hermine Stover, Secretary & Media Liaison
Responsible Dog Owners Of The Western States
23280 Stephanie Rd., Perris CA 92570
951 940 0496, cel 310 925 840
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