Dog News Around the Web

The California Mandatory Spay- Neuter bill may be on hold, but affluent Huntington beach wants to enact an ordinance of its own, complete with microchips. "Competition dogs" ie show dogs--see below-- would be exempt but at higher fees.

Also:

"The council asked that the program's annual cost to the city be no more than $50,000 and that no citations be given in its first year. After that time, the council would review the law and discuss whether to put rabbits under its jurisdiction."

As Matt says: "THEY WANT TO CONTROL THE FERTILITY OF RABBITS!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Meanwhile, Crunchy Con blogger Rod Dreher, with whom I often agree, is I think dead wrong on pit bulls (as is anyone who calls for any single breed ban- remember the Californians who wanted to ban all coursing breeds last year?). Part of this is the remarkable sentimental modern and especially American trait of justifying any governmental tyranny if it supposedly contributes to the safety of 'the children'.

But part is sheer ignorance. People with room- temperature IQ's make policy. Consider this well- intentioned but-- to say 'clueless' would be kind-- commenter in the thread:

"So why did God create pit bulls? Were they intended to be predators? Was it a mistake to domesticate them?"

Perhaps he is an anti - evolutionist? WhatI keep thinking of is those packs of pinkish- white miniature poodles rampaging across primordial France, or those Boston bulls competing with wolves in the forests of old New England.

I like Rod so I tried to be polite but I fear a bit of my exasperation showed through:

"Animal Rights groups are using single breed bans and mandatory spay neuter laws to undermine all animal keeping in the country. You might start at Activist Cash.

A good book to understand the issues is the late Vicki Hearne's Bandit: Dossier of a Dangerous Dog.

"Anyone interested in a "Crunchy" life must be wary of the weird interlinking of Big Ag and the Animal Rights Movement, which would make any small scale, backyard, or urban agriculture impossible. Look up "NAIS" and "No NAIS".

"The same people inevitably want to ban all dogs that are large or are used for hunting, and sterilize everything. I have been involved in hunting issues in California, mandatory spay neuter in California and New Mexico, and other intrusive animal regs in Montana (!) and NM. We have won so far but it gets exhausting.

"You cannot allow breed bans in the door because the "everything must be safe" crowd immediately asks for more. When some Californian anti- hunters found that my gentle hounds hunted hares I received letters saying they must then be dangerous to children, and should be put down."

Meanwhile, in a long post titled The Kennel Club's Scheme, Patrick Burns details the ongoing game of those who would guard breeds for the mandatory spay neuter folks. This is definitely a RTWT, but here is a good summation:

"In other words, you should buy a Kennel Club dog so that the Kennel Club can perpetuate itself and the closed registry system that is wrecking dogs.

"That's the scheme! And you are being invited to partipate."

Love that DNA made of money, by the way.