Photo by Pam Rainsdon
After being tossed back and forth in contentious debate over the word mandatory, the Mandatory Spay/Neuter and Pet Shop ordinances landed solidly on all four feet, with a council vote of 6-0.
Vice Mayor Suja Lowenthal (District 1) and Councilmembers Suzie Price (District 3), Stacy Mungo (District 5), Dee Andrews (District 6), Al Austin (District 8) and Rex Richardson (District 9) each cast a Yes vote for the two ordinances that will require all residents to spay or neuter their dogs—unaltered cats are already prohibited—by October 1, unless there is a medical or breeding exemption, and that will prohibit the sale of dogs, cats and rabbits in any pet shop, retail business or other commercial establishment, with some exemptions.
Also included in the vote was a friendly amendment proposed by Councilmember Mungo and accepted by Vice Mayor Lowenthal that grandfathers dogs that are unaltered and are licensed with an unaltered license until the license lapses or is allowed to lapse, for example, if the dog passes away.
Further details will be posted as well as the ordinances themselves as soon as they have been made available.
If you are in need of low-cost or no-cost spay/neuter procedures, visit City of Long Beach Animal Care Services or Friends of Long Beach Animals for vouchers and low-cost clinic locations, and Fix Long Beach for free spay/neuter procedures for low-income families.