Spay proposal changes

A city mandatory spay and neuter ordinance is finally coming back to the City Council Monday — possibly without the “mandatory” part.

After talking with Police Chief Ken Small and City Attorney Jennifer McGrath, the law’s sponsor, Councilman Keith Bohr, said this week he would come to council proposing a fee to opt out of the ordinance. While intact animal licenses are already more expensive, he said he envisioned stiffer fees to cover the cost of animal control and education efforts, but no change for those who already spay or neuter.

“We have some folks who are legitimately against the idea of bigger government or mandates,” he said. “This tweaking should help with their concerns. For those who weren’t meaning that genuinely, they will find a new excuse to be against it.”

Bohr said he shifted his goals somewhat when he encountered the outraged and organized opposition to the law, but hadn’t changed his mind. He said that as the ordinance’s only supporter on the council up for reelection next year, his stand was a principled one.

Dozens spoke against the proposed ordinance at recent council meetings. Individuals against the ordinance and local groups like Pet Owners Want Equal Rights (POWER) have sent council members more e-mails on the issue than for any debate in recent memory, officials said.

POWER founder Debbie Bent said her group had more than 100 members, from breeders to hobby pet owners, all opposed to the ordinance on grounds ranging from pet safety to property rights. They are now seeking to incorporate and begin raising money to fight what she has called “the mandatory hysterectomy and castration ordinance.” Dozens demonstrated on the group’s behalf in front of City Hall before the last council meeting, and most of them spoke their mind to the council as well.

“We feel very strongly about this and we’re not going to stand for it,” Bent said in an interview. “We’re prepared to defend our families from attack and we’re not going to go away.”

Some council members said they definitely saw things differently when opponents started speaking out.

“In this case it did make a difference for me,” Councilwoman Jill Hardy said. “When I initially voted in favor of investigating this, I didn’t have much information and didn’t understand the cost.”

It was uncertain this week what kind of law a majority of council members would support. But with new proposals up for discussion and an energized opposition ready to speak their mind, there was one thing there seemed to be consensus on: Monday would likely be a very long meeting.