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Pet Neutering
updated: Jul 16, 2012, 3:04 PM

By Edhat Subscriber

My little doggie was let out of my fenced backyard by a Meter Reader. Fourtunately, he was picked up by Animal Control. I can understand the $115 charge to get my pet back, but they also told me he has to be neutered now...Is this a law/regulation, or just a scare tactic? He has never bred, and I dont intend to breed him in the future, but it just seems wrong.(this is his first escape)

Comments in order of when they were received | (reverse order)

COMMENT 298138P	2012-07-16 03:05 PM
uhhhh....that is how pet overpopulation happens....dogs get out of gates and voila!
COMMENT 298139	2012-07-16 03:05 PM
Why not have him neutered then? It's the socially responsible thing to do.
COMMENT 298143	2012-07-16 03:08 PM
On the second offense they neuter the owner!
COMMENT 298149	2012-07-16 03:18 PM
LOL 143....if was only that EZ!
COMMENT 298150	2012-07-16 03:18 PM
hehehe 143! He does not need the HoHo's, while you are picking him up from animal control, stroll over to the humane society and make an appointment (for the dog) They do it low cost.
COMMENT 298152P	2012-07-16 03:20 PM
Get a smart reader then you won't have meter readers on your property letting your dog out. I remember hearing something about a law being passed about having to spay or neuter unless you have a special license. Welcome to SB where everything is regulated.
COMMENT 298154P	2012-07-16 03:24 PM
No plans to breed, fine, but I guarantee you that's not your dog's plan, and the second he breaks out you run the risk of causing even more overpopulation whether you meant to or not. You are not being wrongfully targetted. You ARE the target for these kind of laws and it is ignorant and irresponsible to believe otherwise. Get your dog altered...
COMMENT 298157	2012-07-16 03:25 PM
You can request a letter from your vet saying that you have discussed your options and you have to pay a higher license fee, but you CAN keep your dog un-neutered. But if you don't plan to breed him, why? You will cut down on roaming, territory marking, aggression, likelihood to bite, certain diseases (testicular cancer for one), and potential un-wanted pregnancies. So yes, if they didn't give you the options, it is a scare tactic.
COMMENT 298159	2012-07-16 03:26 PM
It's common sense if you don't plan on breeding him.
COMMENT 298160	2012-07-16 03:29 PM
Millions of animals are killed every year because of the overpopulation problem. Please be responsible and neuter your animal. If there is not a law regarding this issue, there certainly should be!
COMMENT 298161P	2012-07-16 03:30 PM
I once asked what was the purpose of dog licensing. I was told it was to ensure all dogs had current rabies vaccinations. That seemed fine to me until I began getting my dog three year vaccines and still pay an annual fee. I also pay more because she is not altered. I think I need a better reason for licensing because it obviously has nothing to do with a rabies vaccine.
COMMENT 298162	2012-07-16 03:30 PM
Why wouldn't you neuter him if you aren't, like you say, going to breed him? And if you think it is because dogs look better intact (I've actually heard this from otherwise reasonable people) you can even buy some prosthetic testicles.
COMMENT 298163P	2012-07-16 03:31 PM
The OP asked for information, facts, that is, not our opinions on what he or she should do. 298157 is correct. Ask your vet for a letter saying he/she has discussed the matter with you and you have chosen to not neuter. But also ask your vet about the merits of neutering a dog so you are making an informed choice. Or/and search online: there are claimed substantial health benefits to having a dog neutered.
COMMENT 298165P	2012-07-16 03:34 PM
298161P: I thought the reason for licensing was to raise money for Animal Control so that they can catch/find dogs that are lost and also do their work re wild animals. It's also a control to make sure that dogs do have their shots and rabies does not spread more.
COMMENT 298166	2012-07-16 03:34 PM
Send the meter reader the bill.
COMMENT 298168P	2012-07-16 03:35 PM
160-How about I be responsible by making sure my dog is not out to have unwanted litters. My dog has not contributed to the pet overpopulation just because she is not altered. I have never altered any of the dogs I have owned and none of them have ever had a litter. They have also never been out to roam the streets. A responsible owner does not need to alter their dog to make sure they do not have unwanted litters.
COMMENT 298172P	2012-07-16 03:41 PM
And in posting on an open forum, the OP must also be ready to deal with opinions and judgement. I for one will not be staying silent on an issue like this that takes away money from people that need it more than animals. I am 100% in support of publicly funding homeless animal shelters/clinics/vets, but irresponsible people like the OP are the reason these costs are getting higher and higher instead of shrinking. The public HAS to put their collective foot down somewhere, and OP will find that here. It is just NOT okay in this day and age, when public funds are tight and animal overpopulation is rampant, to ignore the benefits of altering your animal for your own selfish reasons.
COMMENT 298175	2012-07-16 03:47 PM
About a week ago I overheard the vet explaining it to a customer: the dog/cat needs to either be neutered or you have to license it and pay a fine for not neutering it. I think that people should spay/neuter their pets. We really don't need anymore backyard breeders. I find when people willfully don't neuter pets (and I'm not talking about neglectful/lazy people here), it's more about their "manhood" than the animal's.
COMMENT 298177	2012-07-16 03:53 PM
161- I'm with you? When I ask I get "cause its the law". Asking what law? only leads to severe stuttering.
COMMENT 298180P	2012-07-16 04:06 PM
We're actually pretty lucky here because we have so many no-kill shelters. Just go down to L.A. and look at the terrible situations in the municipal shelters -- cramped cages, too many animals, daily euthanizing for population control -- and you will understand why it's important to spay/neuter pets.
COMMENT 298182P	2012-07-16 04:13 PM
I don't believe your dog HAS to be neutered. Both the city and the county have Web sites for Animal Services, which describe in detail the regulations and licensing requirements. It will cost you more to get a license if your dog is not altered.
COMMENT 298183P	2012-07-16 04:17 PM
Spaying/Neutering an animal does change that animal, just like castration changes people. I've always wondered, why not just tie their tubes? A little doggy vasectomy.
COMMENT 298189	2012-07-16 04:23 PM
It costs you more to get a license. It costs you more to retrieve your dog from the shelter. The government decided that in order to get the irresponsible owners to spay/neuter their dogs, they would pass a law that also applied to responsible owners that had never let their dog roam free. They are desperate to spay and neuter dogs because they are the ones that have to kill the friendly happy dogs that show up at the shelters where there is no room. They'll spay and neuter young dogs even though there is evidence that it is better to wait until they are older because s/n interrupts the growth hormones. The license fees go to supporting the County shelter jobs program that is currently costing $4 million/yr. Most of that is spent on salaries and pension costs for the permanent employees. Right now most of that comes from the general fund but if they could get everyone to license their dogs, then they could ensure their revenue stream for the future.
COMMENT 298192	2012-07-16 04:24 PM
just read the rules, it is easy to find and figure out. Your dog isnt being neutered because it "escaped", it should being neurtered because it isnt a vet certified purebred (yet), and that is the county rule. As a dog owner, you should have your dog neutered and licensed to live in this area...if you havent done this yet, you have been sliding under the radar. Now that your dog is on the radar, you have to follow the rules.....
COMMENT 298195P	2012-07-16 04:27 PM
298152P - if people were responsible, there would be no need for regulation.
COMMENT 298196	2012-07-16 04:28 PM
Want to be a responsible dog/cat owner? Spay and neuter your pets if you aren't going to breed them. I don't care how responsible you think you are, all it takes is one time for your animal to get free to produce some offspring. Everybody's dog gets out at one point, otherwise you wouldn't have missing dog posters up all over town.
COMMENT 298202P	2012-07-16 04:38 PM
195P- So true, unfortunately the irresponsible dog owners usually do not end up paying the price. They do not pay to license their dogs and when their dogs are picked up or they are cited they get rid of them or leave them at the pound. The puppies of these dogs end up in shelters and the owners say it is because they cannot afford to spay or neuter their pets. The real issue is these people should not have pets to begin with. Whether a dog is altered or not is not the issue. Irresponsible pet ownership is the issue. No dog should be left to run free and if you do not make certain your dog is under your control at all times you should not have a dog. It is not inevitable that a dog will get out and run unsupervised. That is an excuse used by those who need an excuse for their irresponsibility.
COMMENT 298204	2012-07-16 04:39 PM
Any pet owner who claims to be responsible and doesn't spay or neuter is deluding him/herself and deceiving everyone else. It's as responsible as using the rhythm method (aka wishful thinking) or my favourite the early withdrawal promise, for your own birth control.
COMMENT 298222P	2012-07-16 05:47 PM
Actually it is nothing like either of those 204 but nice try.
COMMENT 298227P	2012-07-16 06:18 PM
Get the dog fixed, as many have said, it's the responsible thing to do in this day & age of way too many dogs & cats out there on the loose.
COMMENT 298233	2012-07-16 06:42 PM
Dogs don't wait until marriage. Just neuter him already.
COMMENT 298236	2012-07-16 06:50 PM
My dog is an inside dog. 10 years of no license and i couldn't feel less guilt.
COMMENT 298241P	2012-07-16 07:30 PM
233-neither do humans. But humans should be responsible enough to make sure that their animals do not run wild neutered or not.
COMMENT 298243	2012-07-16 07:40 PM
I think that poorly motivated people who intentionally breed their chihuahuas in an attempt to get $400 for the puppies are filling the shelters.
COMMENT 298244	2012-07-16 07:51 PM
Ouch!
COMMENT 298253	2012-07-16 08:52 PM
OP would you please share the reason for leaving him intact? It has to be more than benign neglect.
COMMENT 298290	2012-07-17 07:32 AM
The County's ordinance has been in effect for 2 years. Can they show that it has had an impact on the numbers of dogs yet? Many of the dogs in my neighborhood that never leave their yard are unlicensed and intact so I'm thinking that the numbers of puppies are about the same as before the ordinance.
COMMENT 298302	2012-07-17 08:01 AM
There is no end to what one person thinks another should do. Enforced neutering? I wish we could be so rational when it comes to human population. Wouldn't it be great if only responsible people had children?
COMMENT 298317P	2012-07-17 08:27 AM
The Responsible Pet Owner Ordinance of Santa Barbara County is the law you are looking for. It has numerous provisions for what you are legally obliged to do under the law, effective Jan 1, 2010. It is well explained by Animal Services here countyofsb.org/phd/animal.aspx? id=19822&ekmensel=15074a7f_180_0_19822_11
COMMENT 298323	2012-07-17 08:40 AM
Neutering is safe and prevents your dog from marking territory or becoming sexually frustrated. Additionally, millions of animals are killed each day because of over population issues. Neutur and spay all pets.
COMMENT 298336	2012-07-17 08:57 AM
If you go to the pound, you will see that only two breeds of dogs need to be spayed/neutered.
COMMENT 298356	2012-07-17 09:23 AM
I love how the nanny deleted the first post that actually provided decent information for the OP. Thanks for reposting it, 317P.
COMMENT 298380	2012-07-17 09:59 AM
302: Right ON! I WISH!!!!!
COMMENT 298402	2012-07-17 10:41 AM
I asked a person in charge of SB City Animal Control how many dogs were licensed in the City and they said 4,000. The national Humane Society says 40% of all households have a least one dog. Something isn't adding up in Santa Barbara by about 30,000 unlicensed dogs. I hope the person that answered my question was wrong about the 4,000 licensed dogs.
EARO65	2012-07-17 11:09 AM
Why is your yard not secured with a device preventing entry? Aside from the neutering question, if someone enters your yard, your dog bites them, you are responsible, and it could cost you dearly. If the meter reader wishes to read your meter, they must knock on the door to enter the yard.
COMMENT 298466	2012-07-17 12:22 PM
I would be willing to spay/neuter my dog if they could do a surgery similar to tying the tubes like they do in human sterilization. Ripping everything out for a the very high fee the vet's charge is barbaric and as long as this is still a "FREE" country I choose NOT to do this to my animal. BTW - No animal of mine has ever had any unwanted puppies.
COMMENT 298477	2012-07-17 12:44 PM
What bunch a fascists. The op in not at fault or didnt any of you think before you ejaculated all over the page. Keep your laws off my dogs body. Eliminate the dog incarceration, you humanitarians. You certainly don't have the animals best interests at heart. Advocate for mandatory sterilization after two kids. We all know what astrain on our resources the surplus unwanted population is. Lock up th burdensome homeless, sterilize em and adopt them out. Then you will really feel like you're doing some good. Disgusted S'Auntie Barbara
COMMENT 298481	2012-07-17 12:48 PM
Go check out how many unwanted dogs and cats there are at any shelter, look at their sad eyes, then check stats on how many, many animals are euthanized every day. Neutering and spaying is the only way to go. Neutering will help keep your dog from wandering away as an added benefit.
COMMENT 298492	2012-07-17 01:20 PM
@298152P Yes, here in SB there are even laws against, rape, murder, theft ... darn those regulations, we would be such a better society without them, I'm sure.
COMMENT 298514	2012-07-17 02:02 PM
Neutering and spaying is not the only way to go, it's just the easiest to apply by way of ordinance, and generates revenue for the County shelter in the process. Many unlicensed pets is why the County Staff were going door to door last summer in Santa Maria checking for barking dogs at houses that did not list any licensed pets. If the Santa Marian's were foolish enough to answer their doors, they got info about licensing. Once the dogs are licensed, the fees are steep for not updating the license yearly. Once the County is ready to deal with the complaints from South County residents, they will be going door to door down here too.
COMMENT 298540	2012-07-17 02:48 PM
298492 - I see you chose to only quote laws for which there is an obvious, universally-agreed need to maintain reasonable standards of social order. You appear to have missed the point of 298152P's posting. It seems that over the course of my life-to-date, more and more laws prohibiting this, and censuring that, have been foisted on us all to the degree that anyone with a decent memory, feels appreciably less free today than was the case, say, 30 or more years ago. As an example of the kind of regulation that is symptomatic of government turning into a dictatorship, how about the regulations that cause the police to issue citations to little kids selling lemonade in front of their home, because they didn't apply for and pay the fees for a municipal business license? This is totally asinine harassment of the public. By the way, how did you enjoy your last TSA groping at the airport?
COMMENT 298595	2012-07-17 04:28 PM
Even if there is no law regarding the neutering, it's a responsible thing to do...He's a charming doggie, not a young male human who'd cross his legs at the thought!
COMMENT 298661	2012-07-17 07:06 PM
Odd that more people care about pets' sexual behaviour than blatant, deliberate theft. How humanitarian! How misplaced your attitudes. Goat, pig, cow, beefalo, chicken, turkey, squab; kill two birds with one stone: put dog on the menu at the county lockup. 1 eliminates overcrowding at animal control, a fitting name if we place the likes of the CVS wallet purloiner. 2saves money for the taxpayers. S'Auntie Barbara
COMMENT 298668	2012-07-17 07:21 PM
There's no argument about neutering being the responsible thing to do, but there seems to be some argument about WHEN is optimal, in the dog's life. Many owners of male dogs feel that it is best to wait until he is 18-24 months old, or has reached sexual maturity, especially important with larger animals. Done much sooner, neutering via castration, affects production of important growth hormones that are vital to developing a strong, durable bone structure. Also, done much younger, castration halts the production of male hormones, which can induce feminine behaviors and may not be the most desirable result in the eyes of many owners. The best course is to discuss the pros and cons with a veterinarian you trust, and who is familiar with the unique characteristics of your dog's breed.

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