manditory spay and neuter in Victoria

[patbrennan]

This entire subject is a sore spot with me.
While spaying/neutering has it's place and value, I am fundamentally against "government", or anybody for that matter, deciding what I should be doing on this topic, or making me pay more if I do not comply.
Licensing a dog may be more acceptable if you also do the same thing for every other pet in the region (cats, horses, etc.).
I cannot understand why it is acceptable to have to license a dog that remains in it's own yard and does not disturb anyone, while having no llicensing in place for every cat in the neighbourhood to yowl all night, hunt down songbirds and leave the "best part of itself" in the neighbour's flower beds is beyond me.
Same difference with dog owners cleaning up behind their animal but it being okay for a horse and rider to leave 10 pounds of it behind them in the middle of the trail, and that being acceptable.
On the same vein, an owner with a dog that is a nuisance (running the neighbourhood, barking excessively, etc.) needs to be held responsible. Same with some of the good citizens in my neighbourhood that clean up behind their dogs in daylight hours but leave it behind on my lawn after dark. I really "appreciate" that sort of neighbour and look forward to discussing the situation with the individuals involved when I catch them in the act.
If common sense was a little more common, we wouldn't be looking to government deciding what is appropriate behavior for us.

[steel_ram]

Repeat offender stray dogs should be dealt with. Cat's shouldn't be given any special rights over dogs.

Many of the dogs up for adoption in Victoria are imported from the interior. In fact many are "reservation dogs". Last ones I looked at were from Quesnel.

[Calum]

Many of the dogs up for adoption in Victoria are imported from the interior. In fact many are "reservation dogs". Last ones I looked at were from Quesnel.

The BCSPCA and esp' the Victoria branch ship in dogs from other shelters from all over the province.
I used to work at the Duncan shelter a few years back, and saw this first hand.

It's simply a matter of population density/more chances of finding a dog a home, and yes in the long run it doesn't help as the problem is more often from reservations which go largely uncontrolled aside for a spring stray dog hunt on some reservations.

Also I disagree with this Victoria bylaw, as it lumps responsible owners in with responsible ones.
But guess what folks...if it comes to it, this bylaw can be defeated in court.

And in my opinion as a dog trainer/behaviorist this bylaw must be challenged, as it is not a solution to the canine overpopulation problem.