"If people are afraid we're going to go door to door enforcing this, we have neither the resources nor the inclination," said Boks. "We're trying to stop the serious inflow of animals into our shelters and the killing in our shelters."
The County of Los Angeles passed such an ordinance two years ago, but it covers only dogs and governs the unincorporated areas of the county.
A similar state bill (which the L.A. City Council unanimously voted to support last year) faced enormous opposition last year but passed the Assembly. Without enough votes to get the bill through the Senate Local Government Committee, the bill's author, Assemblyman Lloyd Levine (D-Van Nuys) requested the vote be deferred. The bill, with some amendments, is expected to come up for a vote in the spring.
The city bill seems to have flown a bit under the radar -- until today. Supporters and opponents are expected to appear before the City Council this morning when it meets in Van Nuys.
If animals invoke passions in people, no animal issue seems to stir more passionate debate than mandatory spaying and neutering.
"If our city shelters had glass walls," said Haze Lynn, who rescues boxers, "everyone would be for spay/neuter. It's heartbreaking to see the healthy dogs brought into shelters."
On the other hand, Louis Krokover, president of the Los Angeles-based Concerned Dog Owners of California, says his group opposes the bill. "Let's clarify this," said Krokover. "We are not opposed to spaying and neutering. We are opposed to the word 'mandatory.' "
Enforcement of all animal regulations is daunting. Boks said only about 20% of L.A. dogs have their required licenses. But any law, supporters argue, gives officials something to work with.
"By requiring spaying and neutering, it gives us more effective tools to go after the backyard breeders," Alarcon said. "I think Los Angeles as a whole has to be more socially responsible and humane."
Alarcon says he may be among the first to line up to comply. He says his wife's two Chihuahuas, Corazon and Chico (father and son, respectively) are not sterilized. He promises he will have them neutered. "I've already talked to my wife. If the messenger can't act in a way that's consistent with the message, then they shouldn't do it."
LA Animal Services would add four more animal control officers to deal with enforcement as well as clerical staff for a cost of roughly $400,000, Boks estimated. He added that the shelter system spends about $2 million a year on animals that are euthanized.
