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Mandatory Spay/Neuter Laws (MSN) are quickly rising to the front in the current trend of pet limitation laws. MSN is geared towards easing the pet over-population that has millions of animals dying each year. In theory, MSN would work wonders in the fight to end the need for kill-shelters. Theory and reality are two different things though.

The first issue with MSN laws is that they do not address feral cats or stray dogs. They are instead aimed at pet owners who may or may not be responsible about their animals. These laws are usually poorly written with plenty of loopholes. A fee is charged for 'breeding licenses' which many responsible breeders wouldn't be able to afford. Responsible breeders don't make money on the puppies and frequently come out behind their expenses. Puppy millers and backyard breeders would be able and willing to pay that fee though. This results in an influx of low-quality, unhealthy animals. Another loophole is that people who provide notes from their vet's office saying their dog is not medically sound enough to neuter are exempt. Those who show their pets in confirmation would have to produce documentation that they show their animal and potentially pay a fee as well.

Another issue is enforcement. How in the world do the politicians and supporters of these laws plan on making sure they are followed? Most states are not equipped with enough law enforcement agents to enforce laws currently on the books. If those laws were being upheld their would be very little need for new ones like BSL and MSN. It is not feasible that Animal Control is going to go house-to-house asking for paperwork that the animal is altered or medically unfit to be altered. Therefore the law is a waste of ink and paper.

Add to the above the fact that a few of the MSN laws that have passed actually mandate early spay/neuter and another huge issue rears it's ugly head. Early gonadectomy is shown to lead to joint, bone, weight and behavioral issues later on in an animals life. The hormones removed by sterilization ARE needed for proper growth/development. Forcing people to put their animals health at risk to obey a law is horrifying.

And the final issue, perhaps the largest one for many pet owners is the fact that these laws open the door for further violation of our personal freedom. Responsible pet owners will get their animals desexed without a law saying they have to. By law, animals are considered property. By allowing the Government to trample over our rights, as citizens, to own and use property as we see fit we allow them to become more liberal in their systematic removal of our constitutional rights.

In summary, instead of pushing for more laws added to the ones already in place we need to stand up and push for better enforcement of the ones we have. Mandatory Spay/Neuter laws jeopardize our rights, the health of our animals and they are fairly ineffective in general.
VOTE NO TO MANDATORY SPAY/NEUTER LAWS!

Learn more about this author, Skathock Motyka.
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