San Francisco Passes Breed-Specific Mandatory Spay/Neuter

San Francisco Passes Breed-Specific Mandatory Spay/Neuter [Thursday, November 17, 2005] Yesterday, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a breed-specific ordinance that will require "pit bull" owners in the city and county to spay or neuter their dogs unless they obtain a $100 breeding permit. The legislation defines "pit bulls" as American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers and any dog displaying the physical traits of these breeds. Fines for failing to comply range from $100 to $1000 and can, on the second offense, include six months in county jail. The ordinance was passed despite strong opposition from AKC, other animal interest groups, and responsible dog owners.

In the past it would have been illegal for a California municipality to enact any type of breed-specific legislation. That all changed last month with the passage of SB861, a law which allows local governments to pass breed-specific mandatory spay/neuter as long as no breed of dog is determined to be dangerous or vicious. AKC and purebred dog owners opposed that measure as well, believing stronger enforcement of California's existing dangerous dog law would better protect communities.

San Francisco's new legislation does provide for limited exceptions, allowing owners who own "show dogs" or who are preparing to breed to apply for a breeding permit. Owners must prove that the dogs are registered with the American Kennel Club, United Kennel Club or the American Dog Breeders Association, and that their dog conforms to the breed standard of the registering organization. Show dog owners must prove that the dog competed in at least one approved dog show in the last 365 days or that they have submitted the paperwork to participate in an approved dog show.

Additional details about the ordinance, including strict regulations for those who choose to breed their "pit bulls," can be found at:
http://www.sfgov.org/site/
uploadedfiles/bdsupvrs/bosagendas/
materials/051607.pdf.

San Francisco's ordinance will take effect January 5, 2006.

 

Well, I think that's a start, but it doesn't do anything about the mean pit bulls out there.
I Think that this will help with some of the backyard breeding out there, and I would hope that everyone that has a well bred dog, that CAN be registered that isn't, needs to get off their butts to do so. I actually think this is a good thing, but they need to do something like open temperament tests on some of the dogs, to make sure they are no human aggressive. Or is that's what's covered in this statement?:

 

I am not sure what I think, my first response would be to fight this to my dying day, but, then again I hate having government tell me what I can and can't do. I just think if they are going to force spays and neuters, to do it on all breeds the same way. period.

 

oh now i like that last thought that if i have to have mine fixed why dont you. its kind of discrimenatory to do so otherwise. that would help a lot of people over the next couple of years to reduce the amount of animals in the pounds and running loose.

 

well if they are going to make the arguement of "vicious dog", then my arguement is lets spay the shit-zu's that you can see their teeth with their lips closed from a mile away, spay them. How about the shepherds that are oversized and afraid of everything. The Great Danes that they are making smaller and every color you can think of. Lets go through every breed and see what bad bloodlines we can weed out. then there can be a national waiting list to get a dog.

 

equal treatment of all pet owners not breed discimination.i would not feel picked on if they said everyone around me had to fix their pets and keep them on leashes etc. but when they pick on a certain breed or breed type and in this case even on anything that resembles just the standard. then i see that as wrong.

 

Yeah I agree SEAL! Why just pick out one breed? And speaking of vicious dogs, why don't they have Presia Canario dogs on their vicious list. Those are the breed that killed that San Francisco woman in her apartment building a few years back. The handler of the dog had them on leashes...they just yanked their leashes out of her hands and killed this woman. The handler and her husband ended up in jail for that. There had been incidents with the dogs and many complaints about the dogs previous to the killing. Now pit bulls and pit bull types are taking the rap for all vicious dogs and inept owners and trainers and breeders...
Maybe it will cut down on backyard breeding, next it'll be Rottweilers, then Dobermans, then German Shepards, etc. etc.. Yeah I can see a national list to wait to get a dog.
When I walk my pit I see people letting their dogs run off-leash and there is poop all over the place 'cause these people don't have any consideration for others...
Why don't they invest some time in enforcing the laws they got equitably among all dog owners not just pick out one breed?
Fortunately I do not live in San Francisco, but I will write to them and our governor Arnie...maybe it'll do some good...
It sure isn't going to resurrect the 12 year old boy that got killed last year because his mother was stupid...I think she is in jail too....for child neglect.

 

Well, laurajean, it is including the breeds you wrote of. If you go to the linda blair web-site, you'll see the whole list of dogs that are included in this banning. The whole legal stuff, being wrote on this is there too. It's really educating to read. She has dedicated herself to helping the pits & other dogs. Check it out. I just got t-shirts to wear, "Breed Bans Don't Work". www.LindaBlairWorldheart.org

 

the lady with the presa canario dogs was the woman who got attacked, they were her dogs im pretty sure. i live ten minutes north of san francisco, but you can still feel the vibe over here. i had my dog neutered because my whole neighborhood would call the humane society every other week; my dog never gets out of his yard and has never showed any aggression towards anyone, but he gets standoffish when they let their leashless dogs run up in his face. But to the point, I was watching the news when they made the legislation and most of the dogs were shepard/pit mixes. i don't believe that they can only force one breed to have restrictions and not any others. it might not even be a bad idea to have the law, but make it applicable to all breeds. The homeless animal problem will be almost solved.

 

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2001/01/31/MN37724.DTL
Here is the story on her death, she didn't own the dogs, the woman in her apartment complex did. This story to me, is byfar one of the more bizarre. very twisted.

 

This serves as an empty bill...who out there is breeding these animals that doesn't have the 100 bucks it take to get a "breeding license?" Ridiculous...nice try...but rediculous. I'd rather it be more like $1000 bucks...sucks for the good guys...but THAT would weed out some of the BYB's. JMO

 

It doesn't surprise me that SF, CA would pass such a law. More people die each year, from AIDS and gay people that pit bulls. CA is one screwed up state, they think marriage is between two men anyway.

 

This state is screwed up because the way the government runs it. The gays are only into each other. They don't care about anything else, but themselves & their issues. That doesn't mean we all support it here, in CA. They would probably cry & pass out, if a pit walked up to them anyways. That's why they banned them in San Francisco, they're not man enough to handle it.

 

I think what they should do is EVERY dog that leaves the shelter should be spayed/neutered. It is unconstitutional to force people to alter thier dogs. It isn't right to single out one breed and force all owners to alter them. We need a breeding program like they have in Germany. No dog is bred unless the kennel club says so. granted im sure there are people who do what they want but they have ALOT less problems with dog over population over there and for the most part the dogs they have are quality dogs

 

But remember, Highvoltage, that in Germany, the authorities will also barge into your home & check whether or not your breeding meets the certification. They have every right to be in your home making sure you follow rules & often make unanounced visits to do so. My very close friend lives in Sweden & in many ways it's similar to where she lives. Do we really think we want that kind of government intervention & do we really think our government can handle that? We are not a communist country nor do we live under a dictatorship. But that can always change if we do not watch out.........

 

Really good distinct article catcher!!
good job

 

Where I live, they do fix every dog before they leave the shelter or pound. And, they micro-chip the dog too. My pit pup I rescued from a bust, was done that way also. Any pit that comes or goes, is fixed right away now. I think it's a good deal.

 

The way that this law is writen sates that they can put any dog breed on the list of dogs to be spayed and netured. Also that will need a breeding or showing license. You all know what breeds are going to be on there no matter what county passes a law like this. What this crap does is open the door for an all out breed ban in the future. All they would need to do is say well that one did not solve the problem of dog attacks or over crowded shelters so lets rewrite it or write a new one. It is easier for the law makers to go after a breed as a whole than it is to go after each bad owner one by one. The way they should be.
That is why we need to get SB 861 overturned before it leds to an all out ban.