St. Louis dog & cat owners may be forced to sterilize & microchip

[flynavyj]

Saw the special on the "Dog Food" situation in China on one of the nightly news shows a year or so ago. The purpose of course was to make Americans freak out at the thought of someone eating Fido...I'm sure others think the same thing about cows, but truth be told...steak and burgers are very tasty! I thank the cow for tasting so good...and i'm sure they're thinking the same about the dog in China.

We're at the top of the food chain for a reason.

[aragx6]

Originally Posted by flynavyj

Saw the special on the "Dog Food" situation in China on one of the nightly news shows a year or so ago. The purpose of course was to make Americans freak out at the thought of someone eating Fido...I'm sure others think the same thing about cows, but truth be told...steak and burgers are very tasty! I thank the cow for tasting so good...and i'm sure they're thinking the same about the dog in China.

We're at the top of the food chain for a reason.

I have no moral qualms about anyone who wants to eat a horse or a dog or any animal really. Like you said, that's the benefit of being at the top of the food chain. But I think we have a responsibility that comes along with that to properly breed, house and humanely slaughter our food. Those animals should be raised and bred for slaughter -- the idea of picking up unwanted pets on the street and cookin' 'em up is super icky to me.

[truckerman]

Originally Posted by Annie53

Sounds good to me. Don't responsible, loving, pet owners do those things anyway? Laws like these should be implemented nationwide.

We have way too many dogs and cats being abused and euthanized every day in this country.

Any law that will help stop the carnage is ALL GOOD as far as I am concerned.

The $200 fine.....that's good too.....if you want to be a part of the problem....you should help pay to deal with the problem.

The real problem are the pet shops that are allowed to sell puppies and kittens and puppy mills!!!!

[Chicago76]

Originally Posted by truckerman

The real problem are the pet shops that are allowed to sell puppies and kittens and puppy mills!!!!

That's another big one as it increases the pet population resulting in more stray/homeless animals.

Back to the chipping/sterilization issue though:

Some here have tried to distinguish between this law and other laws on the books saying that existing laws are designed to protect the population. My question is, how is this not also designed to protect the population?

Strays carry disease, both orally and fecally, that can be transmitted to pets and people alike. Feral dogs are more prone to attacking when they come into close proximity to humans. A cousin of mine has the scars on his face, left tear duct damage and half of an ear missing to show for it. He and his older brother also got the joys of a series of rabies vaccinations because they couldn't catch all 3 dogs responsible.

Animal control is also a human and financial resource drain on the city. Those funds could be used elswehere to promote human safety or services.

Building codes, zoning laws, medication restrictions, traffic regulations, business registration like restaurant inspections...every law on the books put restrictions on individuals to protect them directly or indirectly from irresponsible individuals.

Is it restrictive? Sure. But it's not my fully unrestricted right to own a pet. Or drive down the highway any way I see fit. Or go into Walgreens and pull a box of medication off the shelf and get out of the store in less than 3 minutes. Or open a restaurant any way I see fit. Or even to raise children and way I see fit. There is a social contract that comes with these activities.

[aragx6]

^Could not possibly agree more.