CROSSPOSTED
From Responsible Pet Owners Alliance,
the reasonable voice regarding animal issues in Texas. Responsible Pet Owners Alliance is an animal welfare organization,

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? >
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 rpoa @ texas.net.

Here is the Capwiz tool that anyone in Texas can use to write. Texas clubs should write letters for sure as well as anyone else in Texas that

> 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.
>
> August 17, 2007
>
> Responsible Pet Owners Alliance has had many requests for a sample letter
to
> send San Antonio city officials opposing the Chapter 5 Animal Ordinance
> Revisions, which include Mandatory Spay/Neuter of all outdoor cats and all
> dogs over 6 months or buy an Intact Dog Permit. However, better than a
form
> letter is National Animal Interest Alliance's Cap Wiz which only takes a
> couple of minutes out of your busy day!
>
> By going to the NAIA Trust URL below, you have a choice of sending an
email
> or writing a letter (which can be printed out and faxed to all city
> officials) or do both! There are special instructions for out of state
> letters or emails.
>
> http://capwiz.com/naiatrust/issues/alert/?alertid=10185286
> OR TINY URL:
> http://tinyurl.com/2a2bja
>
> NAIA has covered all the major points and offers more effective
> alternatives. For a copy of the ordinance and other related information,
> visit our website and click on the Action Alert button on the home page:
> www.responsiblepetowners.org
> RPOA would appreciate copies of any local, state or national pet/breed
club
> letters for our web site.
> The national "animal rights" legislative agenda for Mandatory Pet
> Spay/Neuter and Breeder Permits is being mentioned in Houston and for the
> third time in Austin. So all eyes are on San Antonio. What passes in San
> Antonio won't stay in San Antonio. Everyone did such a good job tabling
AB
> 1634 in California and now Texas needs your help!
>
> 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 rpoa @ texas.net.
>
>

They should probably contact the show superintendents to find out the number of events and the number of people (meaning $$$$) they are talking about. If they realize how much money the state and cities stands to lose, that may speak louder than anything else.