We are ready have a mandatory lease law in effect. It is NOT inforced.... If it was we could not have a need for yet another law. Are you honestly going to have someone going door to door checking. Oh, you're going to let the vets check. Hmmm... My dog is sick should I take to the vet so they can fine me as well as charge me for helping my pet. Really... Think about what is happening here. The vet is going to lose clients... Maybe we should fine vets that don't report it. Maybe we should fine people who see an intact animal and don't report it....

I find it funny that the BREEDERS are all up in arms, if this goes thru the only place you can buy a puppy will be from a BREEDER. It seems to me they would be happy about this, but they are the ones crying the loudest. It sure doesn't make any sense to me..Could it be that they would have to start filing TAX'S on the money they have been sticking in their pockets for years?? BY-JOE, bet that is the real reason, NO MORE TAX FREE MONEY..Get over it, I know to many Breeders who will not take back their Dogs, many who breed and know there dogs throw puppies with health issues, many who don't file their dog sales on their TAX's.

And then there are the Good breeders that get the bad name, because they fall under the word "BREEDER". Full Humane Society's have only gotten worse over the years and nobody wants to step up to the plate and limit breeding. So this is what you get a Spay-Neuter law to make a change to business as usual, Breeders in the USA have always been against BREED MASTERS like they have over seas, so I would say this is the next best thing...

I went to the petlibertyvolusia.org website and found it very odd there are no names as to who is running this website or organization. Frankly, do you all have something to hide? Every other website I visit has an owner's name or directors or President.... I'm sure you get the idea. Now I am to believe a website who will not identify themselves or who is heading up this organization? For all we know, it could be a 5th grader's website. When their is a need to hide your identity, then there is not much weight in believing what is written, except this shows to be the hands of breeders and their wallets. Sorry, I don't buy it.

In response to the Deland Beacon article titled "Protesters in DeLand say no to Volusia county spay-neuter ordinance".

Sadly, the Beacon staff writer did not verify comments made about the Halifax Humane Society (HHS) by an outside source, Anne Zessin, Shetland Sheepdog Breeder. In your article, Ms Zessin states that HHS does not make enough effort to adopt animals and that it would rather make money euthanizing animals by billing local jurisdictions for the service.

In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Over 17,000 animals entered HHS in 2007. They come in either picked up by local City or County Animal Control Officers, from owners that no longer want their animals or from citizens that find strays running loose. If no one comes forward to reclaim their lost animal, Halifax Humane Society makes every effort to have all adoptable animal placed into good lifetime homes through its adoption center. Photos of these animals are posted on the HHS web site halifaxhumanesociety.org , Petfinder web site, weekly in the Daytona News-Journal, Pennysaver, and bi-weekly in Seniors Today (we would love to add the Deland Beacon to this list). There is even a special adoption promotion taking place during the months of June, July and August to encourage more adoptions through the difficulty of "Kitten Season". HHS also participates in a Foster Program with HHS volunteers and contacts reputable "Breed Rescue" groups to place purebred animals when we can not find them a new home. Unfortunately, on many occasions, the rescue groups are either full or unavailable.

Euthanasia is a last option, not a financial gain. All to often, news publications print negative comments about the fees HHS charges local jurisdictions for the animals brought to it's shelter, stating it as charges for euthanasia. For the record, the cost of animal care is expensive, even to a non-profit animal shelter. The fees charged to local jurisdictions does not cover the actual cost that is incurred with humanely caring for each animal. Also, the fee charged is not just for euthanasia, as many people like to print or report. This misleads people to believe that animals are euthanized upon entry. Not so, the fees are for the care, feeding, providing a clean wholesome environment, medical attention, humane treatment and when appropriate, or no other option available euthanasia. So in essence, the Halifax Humane Society is having to spend valuable resources supplementing the cost of animal care for strays brought in by the Cities and the County. Resources that could otherwise be used to institute valuable community programs to assist those in need.

Zessin also states that around 24 percent of the animals taken to HHS are adopted, this happens to be true. This is sad, and HHS above all wishes to see this number higher. The question should go out to all who accuse HHS of misdoings, how many of you have saved a life and adopted an animal from our shelter. If you are a Rescue, how many hard to place animals that are not adopted from shelters do you take in? If you are, I commend you. And if you are not currently working with HHS and wish to help, we encourage you to register with our breed rescue contact person. Contact me at HHSMichelle@aol.com for more details.

Dog breeders like to quote that the cat overpopulation problem is much greater then the dogs. True, the cat intake is greater, however I do not see how that makes the number of dogs euthanized acceptable because it is not as much. What is acceptable to you? Attempting to make this a cat or feral cat issue is only misdirection.

While everybody is busy pointing fingers, misdirecting and misleading, the basic problem remains. More animals are born everyday and nobody wants to take responsibility for the thousands of surplus animals that become homeless each year.

Michelle Pari

Community Relations Director

Halifax Humane Society

hhsmichelle@aol.com

www.HalifaxHumaneSociety.org

If breeders want to having a Cat or Dog that he wants to BREED then buy a license for $500 a year to help offset the cost of spay/neuter and euthanasiation. There the ones breeding animals that will be let go into the wild. and why should a handful not pay... or is it .. Really who has the benifit here. aaaaaahhhhhhhh. the breeder get it

Mandatory anything has never solved a problem.

take a look at the efficiency of those running the euthanasia "mill" - with a little luck and no interference from HSUS, PETA , etc - perhaps they can be trained to look at other options - to penalize the masses for the indiscretions of a few is not an answer.

And I certainly would like to see the "breeders" that are making these fortunes with their litters - In over 40 years of breeding I can't rememeber when I ever had a profit on a litter. Hobby breeders do this as a part of their lives and for the love of their animals - it is one of the few things in life that $s don't enter - you spend what is necessary - if you break even - hurrah - you were lucky - and I am not even going into the infringing on our civil rights that these proposals suggest - think about it - and do read Winograd's books on the overpopulation myth

All the feral cats are descended from house cats let loose. if they had been spayed there would be no feral cat problem. Unneutered house cats of today are the feral cat to be makers of tomorrow. Spay and neuter them and take responsibility for your actions.

This is just more of the Government getting control of the people a little at a time. But now go ahead and vote in a Democrat Senate, Democrat House of Representatives and a Democxrat President. We will be able to speed up this process and trash the constitution and really get control of the people once and for all. Now mandatory spay and neutering!! Just add it to the list of mandatory Government laws. Can you say, No comrad, I see nothing I speak nothing, I hear nothing!

That is a Great Idea Walt, if we didn't spend 1.2 million on euthanasiation and their was a Breeders Fee everyone could have their dogs and Cats spay-neutered for Free..

BREEDERS FEE< BREEDERS FEE< BREEDERS FEE<

I have to agree with Walt 100%, the breeders should have to PAY.. Why would the Council give them a free ride unless the Animal Control Board is full of Breeder who helped

with this ordinance.

It is evident some of the people in the article above is mis-informing the community with little facts.

First, every poor and elderly person can take advantage of the "free" spay/neuter with the Volusia County Spay/Neuter Bus, which will come in their area. So that puts the poor and elder at rest to know they "can afford" an animal and not go through the expense of a litter with an intact animal. A second spay/neuter bus has already been approved.

Second, Halifax Humane Society goes through great lengths to adopt animals from their facility, via web site, pet of the week newspaper, radio stations, education, events, fundraisers and so on. Please stop mis-informing the community of this.

Third, as far as heath issues spay/neutering animals at a young age, what about the dangers of not altering the animal, I did not see that side of the story. Any animal can as easily die from giving birth as it can being spay/neuter or even a dental clean.

It is evident the spay/neuter will prevent the thousands of animals being put to sleep each year, therefore saving the Volusia County Tax payers money.

Last, this all boils down to "money" Breeders of all kind are making money off of the animals and I have heard to many say, I don't want to spay her, that is my income. What?? The breeders do not want to file this income on their taxes, therefore being opposed to the ordinance. The picture is very clear, people who are opposed fear losing the "tax free" income and people for the ordinance have the animal's best interest at heart.

You can enforce the leash law all you want, but that does not stop the breeders using animals for an income to overpopulate this county. Just pick up the newspaper or read the signs posted, (Corner of 17 and 92) Puppies 200.00. Start visiting someone of these homes with the signs pups for sale and see why they need to spay and neuter in this county.

"Legitimate breeders" who show their dogs are exempt, therefore this ordinance would not apply. So, it seems the moral of the story would be, the protesters are the illegal breeders opposing.

County Council, I urge you to do the right thing for the animals.

If your so against spay/neuter, how about anyone having a Cat or Dog that wants to BREED buy a license for $500 a year to help offset the cost of spay/neuter and euthanasiation . The county already offers low cost spay/neuter for $5.00 for the elderly & those who have a low income.. I would love to see the Council come up with a Business License for anyone who breeds, After all most are in it for the money and like anyother Business you must pay for your license. The FREE RIDE for Breeders is not fair.. I don't care how you look at it. If Breeders don't need to PAY then NO OTHER BUSINESS should have to pay to do business either.. IT IS TIME TO PAY UP and SPAY/NEUTER.. IT'S NOT FAIR TO BRING ALL THESE ANIMALS IN THE WORLD, WHEN SO MANY ARE BEING PUT DOWN EVERY DAY.. There are more than 11 Breeders in Volusia County, there may only be 11 that are LEGAL at this time. Every week you see on the News about Breeders that have been shut down because they started out good and turn into PUPPY MILLS, I have seen pigs living in better conditions. Crate on top of Crate, No Shots, No Love, most in their own waste, Poor or no food, water, grooming, no medical care, all in the NAME OF BREEDING and most if not all are AKC, CKC, UKC dogs, These clubs are all after the ALL MIGHTY DOLLAR and for the most part do not POLICE themselves. If they did Puppy mills could not sell you an AKC, CKC, or UKC dogs..

WAKE UP AND SPAY/NEUTER and MAKE THE BREEDERS PAY TO BREED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Enforce whats there now. That does not seem to be happening. Quit feeding the ferals peopl; if you want to help, catch and S/N them. Feeding them is only fueling the problem. All animals are cute when they are little but they all will grow to breed. When you acquire an animal, it should be S/N unless specific breeding plans are intended; If no breeding is planned and the pet is not S/N, then you should not have a pet.

We have around 10 ferrell cats running around our property. The males leave a scent that is absolutely disgusting.Something has to be done about this situation.I'm not sure if a neutering law is the right way to go.I have called animal control a dozen times about this problem with Zero results. I thin Volusia County should get off there duffs and enforce the laws we already have.....Fat Chance.

I have seen the stats and found that at least 75% of the animals euthanized are feline. Many wild or ferel with no owners. What does mandatory spay/neuter have to do with this situation? These cats belong to no one so mandating this law is useless here. The remaining 25% are dogs of which the animal shelters claim 30% are pure bred. There are breed rescue groups who would like very much to retrieve these pure breds from the animal shelter and provide medical care, shelter, spay/neuter if not done already and find good homes for these purebreds at no cost to the county/city. That alone would cut back euthanization of dogs by 30% and save the county/city taxpayers a lot of money. Halifax animal shelter should work with these groups instead of shunning them.

Most people already sp/nter their pets and the few who do not are often financially strapped and will most likely give up their pet because they cannot afford this law therefore creating more euthanization at the pound not less. Again MSN is not the solution. Rebates, refunds or lower cost sp/ntr will help these families not a law that forces something on them they cannot afford. Publicize clinics for free or low cost sp/ntr and the county will find that many of the remaining few who do not castrate their pet will do so with such an incentive. Let us be pro-active and not so legalistic.

Mandatory Spay / Neuter is not only the wrong method, it is also a violation of my 14th amendment of the constitution and therefore illegal. My dog is my property and as a responsible pet owner the right is mine to castrate or not my pet. Don't punish the entire class because one student is bad. Don't punish me because a few are irresponsible pet owners.

Will the county pay for lawsuits that may come when a pet dies due to mandated castration? How much will that cost?

Forcing anyone to Spay / Neuter will NOT affect the Ferrell cats, it will NOT stop the abandoning of animals because of training problems, housing problems, --The economy is getting worse, "forcing '' any family, esp low income families to make this expense - will cause more abandoning, MSN has NEVER worked, Check statistics before voicing your oppinion! Lets try something different this time, work with some generous veterinarians to help get these roaming animals fixed /or euthanized, gather up the Ferrell cats, offer FREE training for those who cant afford it , WE have FRee training for anyone who will adopt a dog from the shelter, I will post photos and info Free on my website on several adoptable animals,,, Lets work together,, Not fight,,, This is going to harm Volusia county, not help it! Heck they cant even inforce the Leash law, Rabies vac, County Tags, or Quarantine law, my neighbor broke all the ordinances last month , NO reprocussins!

Those who wrote above thatlocal Humane Societies must stop focusing on lucrative mass killings of cats and dogs (not at all humane) and start fast-moving adoptions programs instead are proven right by Nathan Winograd's new book,"Redemption:The Myth of Pet Overpopulation and the No-Kill Revolution In America", available via Amazon. PLEASE read and pass around his book about this situation nationwide, because it provides very specific answers to Volusia's own local euthanasias crisis that kills 11,000 to 15,000 cats here every year. As someone else stated above, low-cost or free municipal and county spay and neuter programs (especially TNR)that are successfully lowering cat overpopulations and euthanasias all across America, for nearly two decades, must be established here and SOON! And, yes, that will help provide the solution to the unaffordable cost of mandatory sterilizations of cats owned by elderly and poor. It all has to work together. Read Nathan Winograd's book and help make it happen here!

I've read the ordinance, it has good intentions but horrible consequences. The county said in the workshop on this, that they will add another mobile spay neuter clinic - do they need a law to do that? If the county has the money to buy another mobile clinic, why don't they do it and make low cost spay/neuter available. If you don't alter your animal, then you MUST breed it... Duh, so I either alter or I make sure it pro-creates EVERY Year. Do the math people!!! Oh, exemption for temporary residents, 120 days... just googled it - it only takes 62 days from conception to birth, in average dog. And now I wonder, is there another plan and more budget to deal with the stray or feral cat problem? It's not in this ordinance. Maybe there is a plan to re-distribute coyotes from Lake County to Volusia County. I am just trying to make sense of it!

I agree there are too many cats and dogs that are allowed to run around, get hit by cars, breed indiscriminately, etc. They are part of the problem, the rest being animals that are not owned by anyone, such as feral cats. Why can't Volusia County enforce their leash law and pick up these animals. How does forcing me to castrate my indoor dog, that only goes into my backyard, address any of the stray or feral animal issues? How will this decrease the number of animals killed each year? Don't create more laws, enforce the ones you have now!!

I am also against *mandatory* castration. Feral animals and irresponsible owners allowing pets to roam has nothing to do with the thousands of RESPONSIBLE owners who maintain intact pets in a responsible manner. As others have stated, ENFORCE current animal welfare and public safety laws before passing a coercive and punitive law that does little to nothing in addressing loose and un-owned animals.

I agree there are too many cats and dogs that are allowed to run around, get hit by cars, breed indiscriminately, etc. They are part of the problem, the rest being animals that are not owned by anyone, such as feral cats. Why can't Volusia County enforce their leash law and pick up these animals. How does forcing me to castrate my indoor dog, that only goes into my backyard, address any of the stray or feral animal issues? How will this decrease the number of animals killed each year? Don't create more laws, enforce the ones you have now!!

dont listen to nay sayers find out more on why we no not want MANDATORY spay and neuter . see www.petlibertyvolusia.org

spay and neuter but not Mandatory.

we are for no- kill solutions but oppose USHS AND PETA s gidelines for running animal control. see the website and help us keep euthanisa down but healthy pups and pets for the future. investagate our view. 80 % of animal intake to volusia county shelters are cats. lets get low cost/free cat spaying people who are making money off euthansia dont want this over half of the dogs that are brought in are returned to owners or adopted . lets euthanisa the ones that have problems and find homes for rest, we have plan see the website

Too many people have too many dogs and cats that run around multiplying. Tough pet neutering laws need to be enacted to control it.