Three months in, breeder law largely unenforced
The Associated Press reports that compliance with City of Houston legislation aimed at breeders is nonexistent:
Three months after the city of Houston passed an ordinance requiring a permit to sell cats or dogs that have not been spayed or neutered, no one has applied for the $100 permit, city records show.
Dozens of people may be in violation of the city law, which became effective July 1 and covers mom-and-pop operations, as well as occasional and professional breeders.
The regulation is designed to reduce the number of unwanted animals, said Bureau of Animal Regulation and Care Director Kent Robertson.
The bureau sent letters to veterinary clinics informing them of the requirement, and will also be notifying kennel operators and pet owners who register unaltered pets with the city.
First-time offenders will get a warning letter asking them to comply within 30 days. Violations can carry a fine between $50 and $2,000.
Pat Snyder, who runs a rescue facility for Siberian huskies, believes only responsible breeders will comply with the law, but "backyard breeders" will remain under the radar.
"It's like a thorn in the butt to a responsible breeder," she said. "To the other people, it don't make a difference. Once in a while someone might get caught."
Next week, Houston's animal regulation bureau will search classified ads that offer to sell dogs and cats and contact sellers, Robertson said.
The city has 19 animal control officers, whose job includes enforcing the new law.
Robertson would like breeders who get permits to include their permit numbers in their classified ads.
I bet the Chronicle advertising department would like that too!
Anyway, it's good to know that officials will start trying to enforce the law now that the media have reported it's going unenforced. It does seem like Mayor White and his Council in recent years have passed quite a few of these ordinances that go largely unenforced, though.
RELATED COVERAGE: Chronicle (it's possible the AP story cribbed from this one -- hard to tell from the time stamps).
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 10/07/07 06:03 PM | Houston Miscellany | Print | Comments (20)
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