By C. Gerstley Santa Monica
I am glad to know that the Santa Monica Animal Shelter is (finally!) letting people volunteer there.
I am shocked and dismayed, however, that the shelter does not require all pets to be spayed/neutered before adoption. By only “encouraging” people to do so guarantees there will be more backyard breeders and more unwanted homeless pets being “humanely euthanized” or worse.
Los Angeles Animal Services has been doing compulsory early age spay/neuter of dogs and cats [2 months old and weighing at least two pounds] and microchipping for years.
If it is true that Santa Monica does not have a mandatory spay/neuter policy, I hope they will correct this policy in the very near future. Not doing so represents animal cruelty to the many thousands of pets euthanized by overcrowded shelters every year.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 4, 2007. Read the original PDF.