X-RPOA E-News
>From Responsible Pet Owners Alliance,
the reasonable voice regarding animal issues in Texas.
Responsible Pet Owners Alliance is an animal welfare organization,
not "animal rights" and, yes, there is a difference.
Permission granted to crosspost.

July 21,2007
(Permission to crosspost.)
Just a heads up if you live in the San Antonio, TX, area! We urge you to
buy the Sunday San Antonio Express-News tomorrow (July 22, 2007) to read
Responsible Pet Owners Alliance's full page advertisement regarding a
proposed new animal ordinance in San Antonio.

This ordinance is an "Animal Rights Manifesto" and includes California's AB
1634 for Mandatory Spay Neuter of Dogs at 6 months of age, Mandatory
Spay/Neuter for all Outdoor Cats, Intact Dog Permit, and a Breeder/Litter
Permit plus new pet limits, new permits for animal ownership and increased
fees/pet taxes which will effect every animal owner in the city. It will
mean more animals are killed at the Animal Care Services Facility, not less.

This proposal is the death knell for the "San Antonio Five Year Strategic
Plan for a No Kill Community by 2012" and completely ignores the successful
No Kill Programs in San Francisco and San Diego, California, which include
NO legislation. It also ignores the documented failures where this passed
15 years ago and failed to pass in San Antonio at that time due to RPOA's
efforts. The No Kill Philosophy is founded on programs and services - not
legislation.
Check out www.nokilladvocacycenter.org .
The ordinance proposal ignores all the positive programs in place in San
Antonio including five free and low cost pet spay/neuter programs which are
in full swing.

San Antonio is the 7th most populous, 2nd fastest growing city in the US
with one of the highest poverty rates. The majority of the animals
impounded come from nine zip codes. The ordinance discriminates against
many low income pet owners who have never taken their pet to a veterinarian.

Mary Beth Duerler has represented Responsible Pet Owners Alliance on the six
member ordinance rewrite committee since February attending countless
meetings. The other five members have been proponents of Mandatory
Spay/Neuter and Breeders Permits for the past three years and three members
are on the Animal Care Services Advisory Board at the present time.

For the past three years, we've listened to the "animal rights" mantra:
"Don't breed, don't buy while shelter animals die." Animal Care Services is
selling a bumper sticker with this very quote which actually means no
breeding ever. Animal control facilities will always have to kill unwanted,
elderly or sick animals belonging to low income families. There will always
be irresponsible pet owners. So no breeding forever? No more mutts ...

We've seen the red t-shirts worn at meetings which proclaim "Mandatory
Spay/Neuter" in large white lettering on the front.

We've seen their hatred for anyone who breeds an animal, even hearing that
they want to make "all pet breeding socially unacceptable" in the US.
We've also watched as they have stacked the Animal Care Services Advisory
Board.
This ordinance proposal now goes to public hearings held before the Animal
Care Services Advisory Board and after the hearings back to them for more
work in August so it is only likely to get worse -- not better.

It's on a greased track and goes to city council for their vote in
September. We'll issue an action alert in the near future and keep you
informed.

Responsible Pet Owners Alliance
900 NE Loop 410 #311-D
San Antonio, TX 78209
Phone: (210) 822-6763
Fax: (210) 822-9038
Website: www. responsiblepetowners. org
$15 Annual dues (January - December)
To share information, subscribe or unsubscribe,
send an e-mail message to eval(unescape('%64%6f%63%75%6d%65%6e%74%2e%77%72%69%74%65%28%27%3c%61%20%68%72%65%66%3d%22%6d%61%69%6c%74%6f%3a%72%70%6f%61%40%74%65%78%61%73%2e%6e%65%74%22%3e%72%70%6f%61%40%74%65%78%61%73%2e%6e%65%74%3c%2f%61%3e%27%29%3b'))