Thatiana Gibbs
Assistant Editor
California Senate Bill 1233, which would address the issue of overcrowding in animal shelters through the use of low- and no-cost spay and neuter services, has been approved by the legislature and awaits Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature.
Authored by State Sen. Scott Wilk, R-Victor Valley, the bill also aims to establish a certification program for high quality spay and neuter procedures at UC-Davis and Western University of Health Sciences’ veterinary schools.
As the number of unaltered animals and euthanasia rates within animal shelters is rising, this bill could improve the quality of life for many animals, and decrease euthanasia.
“This bill was the No. 1 priority for the (California Veterinary Medical Association), and other animal organizations, so in terms of the animal activist coalition this was one of the top priority bills for them to get passed this year,” Wilk staffer Connor Sloan said. “There has been a lot of positive support from the animal activist community.”
The bill would increase the availability of low-cost and no-cost spay and neuter services across the state by allowing these services to be performed by veterinary students.
“We get constant phone calls and constant people finding dogs,” said Corina Yeimer of Rover Ranger Rescue, which works to place homeless pets in forever homes. “It takes a while to get our females… fixed. It’s about a month out because there’s not enough doctors to spay and neuter our animals. It’s a systemic problem.”
When unaltered animals are adopted and remain unaltered more kittens and puppies are born and neglected, or cycled back into animal shelters.
Animal shelters in lower income communities often receive less funding and resources for the animals they serve.
As such, laws and ordinances requiring that pets be spayed and neutered often go unenforced.
“The communities that we serve, the income levels are not always supporting the ability to have a private veterinarian,” said Nikole Bresciani, president of the Inland Valley Humane Society in Pomona. “Part of our mission is keeping people with their pets, providing people with resources, and so (the proposed law) is very central to what we do. The spay and neuter is central to what we do, and it is central to what every shelter needs to do.”
Thatiana Gibbs can be reached at thatiana.gibbs@laverne.edu.
Thatiana Gibbs is a senior journalism major with a concentration in print-online journalism. She is a photographer for the Campus Times and La Verne Magazine. Her enthusiasm lies in research, writing, and effectively delivering captivating information to the public eye. She has previously been an assistant editor and staff writer for the Campus Times, and a staff writer for La Verne Magazine.
