ANIMAL CONTROL

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 1999:

Thailand is stepping up a six-year
drive to eradicate rabies. In 1998, says the
Thai government, 3.3 million of the estimated
5.2 million Thai dogs were vaccinated,
700,000 were sterilized by injection (method
not specified), and 165,000 were surgically
sterilized. Only 200,000 free vaccinations
were done, but this year 1.5 million dogs will
be vaccinated without charge, while one million
are to receive the injection sterilant and
238,650 are to be surgically sterilized.

San Francisco SPCA president Ed
Sayres delivered strong testimony on April 23
to the California State Assembly Local
Government Committee against AB 1482, a
bill backed by the state animal control establishment
which, as recently amended, would
“roll back the holding period for lost and abandoned
pets to pre-1967 levels for dogs, and
pre-1980 levels for cats,” Sayres wrote. “In
addition,” Sayres charged, “AB 1482 closes
access to private rescue and adoption groups,
and prevents them from saving dogs and cats in
California shelters.” AB 1482 would
supercede SB 1785, introduced in 1998 by
state senator Tom Hayden , the major feature
of which is that after July 1, 1999, California
animal control shelters must hold animals for
either six business days or four business days if
the shelter is open until at least 7 p.m. and is
open on either Saturdays or Sundays. Animal
control agencies, especially in southern
California, claim SB 1785 would require them
to greatly expand their holding facilities.
Defenders of SB 1785 contend that what they
really need to do is promote low-cost neutering,
returns-to-owner, and adoptions with the
same vigor as cities––mostly in northern
California––which long since met the standard.
The Los Angeles County
Department of Animal Care and Control is
expanding a 10-member Animal Rescue Field
S u p p o r t team formed in July 1998 to 15-16
members. Working in groups of four, the
team catches dogs who are suspected of biting,
or of being especially dangerous, averaging
about 100 captures per month––around a third
of the total number captured by the agency.
The expansion will enable the LAC/DACC to
have an ARFS unit on call at all times.