Dr. Waters’ team spent a decade collecting and analyzing medical histories, longevity, and causes of death for 119 Rottweilers in the United States and Canada that survived to 13 years of age. These dogs were compared with a group of 186 Rottweilers with more typical longevity.

Researchers found that female Rottweilers have a distinct survival advantage over males—a trend also documented in humans. That advantage appears to be determined by whether the female dog is sexually intact, however. “Taking away ovaries during the first four years of life completely erased the female survival advantage,” Dr. Waters said.

This isn’t just an interesting factoid that will impact the spay-neuter debate with respect to dogs.  It could have a lot to say about research into human longevity as well.

Dr. Parker’s group studied more than 29,000 women who underwent a hysterectomy for benign uterine disease. The findings showed that the benefits of ovary removal—protection against ovarian, uterine, and breast cancer—were outweighed by an increased mortality rate from other causes. As a result, longevity was cut short in women who lost their ovaries before the age of 50, compared with those who kept their ovaries for at least 50 years.

How ovaries affect longevity in Rottweilers is not understood, but Dr. Waters’ research points to a new set of research questions, recalibrating the conversation about removing ovaries.

Breed-specific legislation redux: Florida legislators are throwing the baby out with the bathwater by moving toward enacting sloppy, breed-specific laws again, substantively reversing their prohibition of such a thing more than 10 years ago.  The bill under consideration is Florida HB 543 (Senate version: SB 1276).

In effect, they will be turning back the clock to a time when blaming the dog, independent of contextual evidence, was acceptable.   State Rep. Thurston (D-Plantation) isn’t suggesting any move towards owner responsibility.   And the fact that identifying breeds accurately is, at best, a crapshoot, has eluded Thurston, as well as his co-sponsors.    Solving those problems can’t be done through the legislative process.  The losers here will be good, innocent dogs and responsible owners. If you live in Florida, it ’s time to make your voice heard (thanks to Cathy A for the cite).

Cat killed despite microchip:  Sorry, but we’re not done with the Sunshine State yet.    A couple in Broward county lost their Bengal cat, O’Malley.  Fortunately, O’Malley was microchipped.  That’s good, right?  If he is found by authorities, he can be quickly identified and returned to his anxious parents.   Good news:  O’Malley was found by the authorities.  Bad news, according to the Sun-Sentinel: he was put to death anyway.

The cat’s death has the family and county commissioners wondering if the scandal-plagued agency – which was restructured in 2008 after facing criticism for animal abuse and misconduct – has reformed its ways. The county is apologizing, but officials aren’t sure what exactly happened and are waiting for an internal investigation to be completed.[...]

An audit of the agency two years ago found food for dogs and cats in short supply, animal carcasses rotted in maggot-infested bags and workers taking valuable dogs for their own profits. Officials were forced to change procedures to reduce the problems.

“I’m furious,” said Broward County Mayor Ken Keechl, who led the drive to reform the agency. “I’m tired of it – how many years will this keep going on?”

Excellent question, Mr. Mayor.

For some good news, we fly up to New York…

The angel of Union Square: Emelinda Narvaez has rescued 10,000 dogs out of her mobile van in lower Manhattan.  You read that right.  Ten thousand dogs.    This profile of Ms. Narvaez, a cancer survivor herself, shows her to be a truly remarkable woman.

[She] believes dogs are the “Angels of This Earth.” But to the more than 10,000 dogs she’s rescued in New York, Emelinda is the angel. She does her miracle work through her nonprofit, Earth Angels, a no-kill canine rescue and adoption organization established to rescue homeless and abandoned dogs.

For the past 41 years, every single day, rain, shine or sleet, Emelinda has been saving dogs on the streets and taking canines from overcrowded shelters (that otherwise would’ve been euthanized). She then nurses the dogs back to health and finds happy, healthy homes for her four-legged friends.

Thank you for your hard work and dedication, Emelinda.  I have to agree with the author of the Huffington Post article, on behalf of the 10,000 lucky dogs.  You are the angel.

Bow to wow: Now let’s hop on the subway and head a little north, to midtown.  We’re stopping at 30 Rockefeller Plaza.  As part of the adoption drive for Animal Care & Control of NYC, a gorgeous golden retriever named Bailey was on the set of The Today Show last week.   Also present was gold medal winning U.S. Olympian Steven Holcomb, pilot of the victorious and historic “Night Train” four-man bobsled team (the U.S. had never won a gold in bobsled before the Vancouver Games).  Steve met Bailey, and promptly adopted her…a golden for a gold medal winner  (a golden tip of the cap to Jennifer Fearing of the HSUS for the story).

Paws for poetry: Switching gears entirely … April is National Poetry Month. (I learn so many interesting tidbits on this beat.)  In celebration, I’m volunteering you, so listen up.  Paws for Poetry is running a contest, and you are invited. See rules and regulations here for prizes and details.  The deadline is April 15, so you have a little more than  a month.  Good luck!

I always like to hear from readers, especially if you have tips, and links for interesting stories.  Give me a shout in the comments, or better yet, send me an e-mail.

Photo credits:  Chow and pit bull terrier: Laura Dapkus, examiner.com.  Steve and Bailey: msnbc.com.

If enacted, H.R. 615, sponsored by Rep. Gary Ackerman, would amend the Federal Hazardous Substances Act to nationally require what already is mandatory in ten states and has been considered in a handful of others: Engine coolant must contain denatonium benzoate, the most bitter compound known, to render the sweet but toxic liquid unpalatable.

The goal of H.R. 615, or the Antifreeze Bittering Act of 2009, is to deter children and animals from drinking antifreeze. Ingesting just a tablespoon of ethylene glycol, the poisonous component in automotive antifreeze, can be lethal to a 10-pound cat. The Humane Society of the United States estimates that about 10,000 dogs and cats die from complications related to ethylene glycol toxicity each year, but other agencies guess that number to be much higher. Thousands of people are accidentally poisoned annually, states the American Association of Poison Control Centers. There also are reports of ethylene glycol-based antifreeze being used as a murder weapon.

It’s time, and past time, that lawmakers got off their butts and did this. If industry was going to do it on its own, they would have already. If the 40 states that haven’t passed it themselves were going to, ditto.

There are already some antifreezes out there made with propylene glycol, a substance that’s not as toxic as ethylene glycol. And just because something’s incredibly bitter or otherwise inedible doesn’t mean a dog won’t eat it — dogs have, as we all know, eaten some very unlikely things.

But it’s a start, and a big one.

Federal lawmakers have twice before failed to pass this law, so let’s all hope the third time is the charm.

Four voices on lessons learned:

This world is too precious not to take an active role in understanding its other tenants.  While killer whales will always remain wild animals and command respect and reverence, gifted animal trainers like Dawn Blancheau and Julie Scardina devote their lives to furthering the boundaries of relationships humans can have with them. Dawn gave her life in the name of science and discovery, and her efforts brought enlightenment to thousands of people.

Second, consider Jean-Michel Cousteau’s compelling, eloquent YouTube commentary.   Next, a response from widely respected training guru Karen Pryor’s clickertraining.com blog.  Finally, our friend Heather’s sharply acerbic rant the day of the tragedy in the most wonderful RaisedByWolves.

Drive or walk — not both: The weird story of the week comes to us from the London Guardian.   A 23-year old man in County Durham had his license revoked after he was caught walking his dog — from his CAR.

Sharon Lowrie, prosecuting, said a cyclist alerted police that two men were dragging a dog along from a car. She said: “The driver was hanging on to the dog’s lead through the driver window, approaching a blind summit.” [...]

Paul Donoghue, defending, said Railton had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity. “He accepts it was a silly thing to do and there was an element of laziness. He does not usually drive in a such a manner,” Donoghue said.

“Not usually”?  Why does that not make me feel better?

The problem with bad breeders: One more example of FAIL, courtesy of trusty reader/researcher Susan and the fabulousness of YesBiscuit…we take you to Greenville, South Carolina.  A pit bull breeder had entirely too many dogs of the wrong color.   Well, he can’t dump them with his pickup, right?  So he drops them off at the Greenville Animal Shelter in a U-Haul.

Shelter manager Shelly Simmons says it’s evidence of a growing problem…. “We’ve never had a U-Haul before,” she said.  Simmons said the owners were trying to breed “blue” pit bulls because they sell for higher prices. Instead, they got 17 puppies in every color except blue.”You have amateur breeders who try to have puppies for the wrong reason and when they do that they end up over their heads,” Simmons said.

This isn’t funny.  The Greenville facility where the puppies were dumped is a kill shelter.   I won’t get into the whole fallacy of the color issue.  It’s bad enough as it is.

Beautiful and amazingly creative furnishings: Another tip from YesBiscuit….if you have a cat, need a new coffee table and have the money to spend, you have got to check this out.  A seriously gorgeous table with an integrated cat hammock.  You read that right: cat hammock.

I always like to hear from readers, especially if you have tips, and links for interesting stories.  Give me a shout in the comments, or better yet, send me an email.

Photo credits:  Trainer with whale, KCPT. Cat table, O VALOR DO DESIGN, via bookofjoe.com.

Pet killing debate now high profile issue in Illinois:

“I think it’s important for our lieutenant governor to be someone who loves dogs,” Quinn said.

That might sound a little odd for a governor’s race, but The Huffington Post tells us the remark has its roots in an ongoing debate over the use of the carbon monoxide gas chamber to kill shelter pets in multiples.

In 2009, the Illinois legislature passed a bill banning the use of carbon monoxide gas chambers for the mass [killing] of dogs. At the time, Sen. [Bill] Brady voted against the bill. And recently, just days after the Feb. 2 primary [for the GOP nomination]  he introduced a new bill to re-legalize the practice.

Brady took considerable flak over the proposed legislation from the Humane Society [of the United States] and the story garnered a good deal of media coverage.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Brady was pretty quick to back off this porcupine:

Brady  gutted the legislation Wednesday and turned it over to another sponsor after the Humane Society of the United States condemned the measure and characterized the procedure as cruel.

“A constituent asked me to do it, and I have an obligation to represent my constituents,” Brady said.

“I was never for it, but I thought it was a subject that deserved discussion. But the politics surrounding me being the nominee created an environment that’s more attack mode than discussion mode, so we shelled the bill.”

The Sun-Times reports the “constituent” was an animal-control facility in Brady’s district, apparently one with management that believes killing pets in a cruel and terrifying way is preferable to, you know, just plain old killing them. Someone, please, get those people information on building a no-kill community. Or better yet, replace them with people who at least live in this century.

Oly the Olympic puppy: You may have seen something about a bunch of winter sports taking place in and near Vancouver over the last couple weeks.  Jordan Malone is an American short-track skater. He didn’t have a great Olympics, but he did have a best friend who got him through it all.

Uncanny canine carousel carvings: You may know Tim Racer as one of the co-founders of BADRAP. However, you might not know about Tim’s phenomenal talent in creating drop-dead gorgeous canine carousel sculptures.   Tim takes up to 700 hours getting these works of art exactly right, and has been known to fly across the country to meet his models, using the opportunity to take precise measurements with calipers.   Thanks to Susan and Gina for tipping me off to this SFGate article.

So what does “Cami Missy Diva Piglet Punky Girl” mean? I’m a sucker for psychological discussions that try to analyze tidbits about me and use those little factoids to draw broad-brush conclusions.    This one from Forbes Magazine is perfect, then.  What you name your pet gives clues as to your personality.

Your dog’s name says a lot about who you are. “The name of a dog reflects the personality and sense of humor of the owner,” says Lisa Peterson, spokeswoman for the American Kennel Club. “For example if you name your toy poodle ‘Brutus,’ that shows a sense of irony.”

Ok, so maybe I won’t learn as much as I hoped, but you should still check it out.

Funny things that veterinary clients say: PetConnection BFF Dr. Patty Khuly has a funny piece on Dolittler about great stuff uttered by her clients.  The comments yield even more, so be sure to read them too.

I always like to hear from readers, especially if you have tips, and links for interesting stories.  Give me a shout in the comments, or better yet, send me an email.

Image:  Ruff weekend on the campaign for state Sen. Bill Brady (HuffPo image).

This time it’s Kim Campbell Thornton on Sunday, but before we get to her appearance, we’ve got a few other Pet Connection frequent flyers and BFFs on the schedule.

On Friday, Feb. 26,  at 10 PM Eastern Time, Nathan Winograd will be discussing “Using legislation and litigation to save animal lives.” Topics will include Oreo’s Law, the fight for feral cats going on in the Los Angeles courts, and how the Civil Rights Act can be used to help animals (it’s not what you think!).

Then on Saturday, Feb. 27, at 9 PM Eastern, I’ll be talking with Jackie Hadra and Cindy Wilson of IMOM.org about how tough economic times are affecting animal charities. How can animal welfare organizations beat the times and keep helping pets in need — and how can animal lovers still help animals when their wallets are feeling the pinch as well?

Also on Saturday, Pet Connection and PetHobbyist BFF (and author of Rover! Get off her leg!) Darlene Arden will be joining us at 10 PM ET to discuss “Keeping dogs and cats in their homes by resolving — and preventing! — behavior problems.”

Then on Sunday, Feb. 28 at 10 PM Eastern, we’ll bring Chat Month 2010 to an end with a really fantastic subject, and our final “Pet Connection connection.”

Pet journalists Steve Dale and our own Kim Campbell Thornton will discuss how, after losing beloved pets, they created funds to raise money to help other animals suffering from the same diseases that took their own pets.

Steve founded The Ricky Fund in memory of his Devon Rex cat Ricky, who died at the age of 4 of feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Kim founded The Darcy Fund in memory of her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Darcy, who died of mitral valve disease.

Find out more about these diseases, how the funds have helped both other animals and also Kim and Steve, and how you might go about honoring a lost pet in a similar way.

These interviews are held in streaming audio, and you’ll be able to comment and ask questions in a text-based chat room.

To listen to the audio and join the chat room: Registered users of PetHobbyist.com log in here. If you’re not registered, log in as a guest here and select “Auditorium” from the drop down menu!

A scarlet letter for abusers? Along the lines of public sex offender registries (which are ubiquitous) and arsonist registries (three states have them now), California is seriously considering the creation of an online registry for those convicted of animal cruelty-related felonies.  The drive is led in large part by the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF)

In the meantime, ALDF has launched a new campaign, ExposeAnimalAbusers.org to help all states establish public animal abuser registries. The ALDF hopes such registries would protect animals, pet guardians and communities by preventing repeat offenses from anyone with a known history of abusing animals. This could include violence (torture, mutilation, intentional killings), sexual abuse and animal fighting as well as neglect (such as hoarding).[...]ALDF is promoting the registry not only as a way to notify the public but also as a possible early warning system for other crimes. “We know there’s a link between those who abuse animals and those who perform other forms of violence,” says Stephan Otto, the group’s director of legislative affairs.

The SFGate Tails of the City article is worth reading, of course, but the comments are even more entertaining.

How the day goes wrong: I enjoy our buddy YourPetsBestFriend’s blog, and this one is a keeper.   Some days go bad before they’ve even started.  As I’ve heard both Dr. Tony Johnson and Dr. Marty Becker insist, if you think a veterinarian’s life is glamorous, just follow them around awhile.

I always knew P.T. Barnum was right: I assumed at first glance that this article was from The Onion, since it’s the best satire site in the history of, well, ever.   No such luck.  Business Week, of all places, tells us that when The Rapture comes, if you’re among the chosen,  you won’t have to worry about your pets’ safety and welfare. An outfit called Eternal Earth-Bound Pets will be happy to lend a hand.  They presume your pets aren’t as virtuous as you, and in fact are soul-less.  This is problematic, even with other Rapturous types.

“Pets don’t have souls, so they’ll remain on Earth. I don’t see how they can be taken with you,” he says. “A lot of persons are concerned about their pets, but I don’t know if they should necessarily trust atheists to take care of them.”

Hey, I’ll save you the bucks. I know I won’t be among the saved — all that stuff I did in college…we don’t need to discuss it here.  So if you’re making the trip upwards, I’ve got you covered.  I’ll be reasonable, too.  Just another of the many services I offer.   (Thanks to Susan for the tip on this one, as well as this week’s lede)

Adorable stamps for pet lovers: I don’t use stamps all that much anymore (do you?), but these are worth buying.  Once more we tag our pal Maria Goodavage at Dogster.  All the pets shown in these stamps were homeless, and most have been adopted.  Are you a pet-loving philatelist?  Want interesting stamps of your own?  Head over to BeyondThePerf.com.

First video of the week, courtesy of our friends at Disapproving Rabbits: Phineas wants to make it crystal clear that he doesn’t like his new toy.

Second video of the week, courtesy of Pedigree.  A friend sent me this, and I’ve already watched it 30 or 40 times.  Pedigree Dog ad, shot at 1000 FPS

I always like to hear from readers, especially if you have tips, and links for interesting stories.  Give me a shout in the comments, or better yet, send me an email.

Photo Credits: Veterinarian visit: Flickr Tobyotter, creative commons.  Pet stamps:  beyondtheperf.com

Equine welfare board needed in Kentucky: The Herald-Ledger sets the stage in the story’s lede:

There are stories of as many as 1,000 abandoned horses living on old strip mines in Eastern Kentucky, foraging for food amid sparse grassland. But no one really knows whether the tales are true.

That’s one reason a group of equine veterinarians is pushing to establish the Kentucky Equine Health and Welfare Board, which would gather more reliable statistics on Kentucky’s signature animal and recommend improvements.   Among other things, the board would create a voluntary certification system that sets care standards for equine rescue operations.

“We need to face the grim side of our moral and ethical obligations to horses,” said Doug Byars, an equine veterinarian and a founding member of the Kentucky-based Equine Health and Welfare Alliance, which is dedicated to the proper care, maintenance and treatment of horses.

The problem here as I see it, is that even though the mission is important and laudable, the 13-member board will be appointed by the Governor, and the effort will be completely voluntary.  That is, they will have ZERO public money available to accomplish any of their goals.   What does this mean?   Most likely little progress to assist at-risk horses who are an iconic part of the state’s identity.

Shortages of large animal veterinarians are still problematic: For dogs, cats, birds and other small animals, you can find veterinarians nearly anywhere.   However, for large animals (horses, cows, etc), the alarm’s been sounded in Tennessee, and and other rural areas from Vermont to California.   Google “shortage of large animal veterinarians” and you’ll find quotes like this, from a story last week by KFBB in Montana:

Dr. Kelly Manzer practices medicine at K-Heart Veterinary Service in Great Falls. While she also sees companion animals, she is one of the few veterinarians in the area to treat horses. She says those who specialize in large animals are few and far between.

“It’s physically demanding,” Manzer said. “One kick and you are done. A 1,200- pound animal can put you out of business in short order. The pay is better with small animals and graduates are tending to go into small animal practices.”

The USDA appears to understand the impact of the shortage.   According to KOMU in Missouri, the federal government will take steps to address the problem, including repaying a percentage of college loans for graduating veterinarians who commit to serve needed fields.

Wait, what does that mean? Pet Connection BFF Dr. Patty Khuly has a terrific reminder in USA Today for pet owners and veterinarians alike: Remember to speak in plain language, and if the message isn’t clear, ask for clarification.

Some words have a way of indelibly etching themselves into our gray matter, making translation seem unnecessary from our warped perspective. (What do you mean I have to explain what “gray matter” is?)   What’s worse, it seems some docs just like to hear themselves talk in tall terms. They wrap themselves up in a white coat of words, saying things like: “It seems we’re dealing with a confounding episode of acute feline ptyalism.” (Translation: “I don’t know why your cat is drooling like that.”)

This isn’t just a veterinarian thing.  It’s a people doctor issue, too.  That is why I love my veterinarian, and why it’s so important to have folks like our own Dr. Marty Becker, Dr. Narda Robinson, Dr. Tony Johnson and other caring professionals on your side.   A well-trained, experienced veterinary expert who translates the medical gobbledygook into understandable plain language is worth his or her weight in gold.

Guinea pig owners, listen up! I once owned a chinchilla named Whiskey.  I loved the little guy, but I learned to Whiskey-proof the room where he lived when I found him chomping on my expensive stereo headphone cables.  Good advice here from The Guinea Pig Connection:  look around at the things they can reach, because they love to nibble, and if you’re not careful, the consequences could be bad.

Why we work to save one dog: The fate of one abandoned dog on a ship in the South Pacific galvanized attention (and another more recently in the Baltic Sea), whereas mass suffering of people the world over creates paralyzing inaction.    I’ve just said what people scream at us all the time.   Why does this happen?   Loyal reader Mary Mary forwarded an article arguing, in effect, we’re wired that way.

[Philosphy professor] Peter Singer once devised a dilemma that highlights a central contradiction in our moral reasoning. If you see a child drowning in a pond—and you would ruin a fine pair of shoes worth $200 if you jumped into the water—would you save the child or save your shoes? Most people react incredulously to the question; obviously, a child’s life is worth more than a pair of shoes. But if this is the case, Singer asked, why do large numbers of people hesitate to write checks for $200 to a reputable charity that could save the life of a child halfway around the world—when there are millions of children who need our help?

The answer is that our moral responsibilities feel different in these situations; one situation feels visceral, the other abstract. We feel personally responsible for one child, whereas the other is one of millions who need help. Our responsibility feels diffused when it comes to children in distant places—there are many people who could write that check.

Singer, of course, is the father of the modern animal rights movement, and the inspiration for groups like PETA.

Fun with Westminster: Thanks so much to Frogdog Blog for the best pie chart of the week. … Not so fun, and surely one of the strangest stories to come out of the show: The NY Post reported that the woman who owned the dog who won the Non-Sporting Group served time for her role in the killing of horses for insurance money.

I always like to hear from readers, especially if you have tips, and links for interesting stories.  Give me a shout in the comments, or better yet, send me an email.

Photo credit:  Horses in snow: Steffe, flickr creative commons.

But one thing you’d think we’re all on the same page about is that Fabian Henderson, the guy who threw her off the roof of his six-story building in the first place, should get something more than a slap on the wrist.

You’d think wrong, at least, if you were thinking about the judge in the case. From the Facebook page supporting Oreo’s Law:

Fabian Henderson (Oreo’s abuser) was sentenced today. He got 6 months probation and some sort of treatment program for finding a job! He is not allowed to have animals but is allowed to be around his mom so therefore around his mom’s dog. Shame on the justice system!

Defendant: Fabian Henderson
Case #: 06995-2009
Charge: Felony Animal Cruelty
Judge: Hon. Dineen Riviezzo

Unbelievable.

Dr. Nestle is one of the leading voices in the movement to reform how we deal with food and nutrition in this country. She is the Paulette Goddard professor of nutrition, food studies, and public health at New York University and a visiting professor in the College of Agriculture’s nutritional sciences division at Cornell University. She branched out into covering pet food issues with her book about the 2007 pet food recall, Pet Food Politics, and is the co-author of a forthcoming book on feeding pets in America.

Speaking with Dr. Nestle will be Christie Keith, who has a few stories of her own to tell about the FDA and pet health and safety.

The interview with be via streaming audio, and you’ll be able to comment and ask questions in a text-based chat room. Pet Connection readers can also post their questions here.

To join the chat: Registered users of PetHobbyist.com log in here. If you’re not registered, log in as a guest here and select “Auditorium” from the drop down menu!

I spoke with NKAC director Nathan Winograd, who said the judge’s order in the case, known as Urban Wildlands Group vs. the City of Los Angeles, was unconstitutional, ignored state law, and was incredibly far-reaching.

The judge issued a writ that prevented the city from even telling people that there were services available anywhere in the community. It prohibited the city from waiving trap rental fees for trap-neuter-release programs. It ordered city shelters to stop releasing feral cats to rescue groups.

The court even went so far as to tell city shelters they could not change any laws that would allow any kind of TNR initiative in the future. The order oversteps the authority of the court, telling legislators they can’t pass laws. It also violates California’s Hayden law, which explicitly gives rescue groups right to take those cats who are going to be killed.

The ruling is so far-reaching that all the shelters were ordered to remove from their premises any literature that even expresses support for TNR, including independent magazines in the shelter waiting rooms. We think this order is unconstitutional, and we are going to make that argument in court.

Representing us pro bono is national law firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, LLP, and they have filed an emergency motion in superior court asking the court to allow us to intervene as defendants in the case, as if they sued us instead of the city. We have heard the city may not appeal, so we would appeal the court’s order as the intervener-defendant. Even if the city does decide to appeal, we believe that the law impacts our interests in a very significant way, and believe we will provide a more vigorous defense of the cats.

We believe we have an incredibly strong case both as to our motion to intervene and the legal merits of the court order, which is so wide ranging and ignores several facts of law.

One, we don’t believe the city actually has a TNR program. It’s being done by rescue groups and volunteers. The city only provides low cost vouchers for spay and neuter.

Even if the court finds that constitutes engaging in a TNR program, the claims by the Wildlands Group is barred by statute of limitations, as the city has been doing it for years. Their action was not filed in timely manner.

Last, the order went too far and impinged on the sovereignty of the legislative branch in telling it that it can’t make laws that are constitutional.

Aside from the legal issues, we want to make it clear we’re not willing to allow the Urban Wildlands Group to turn back the clock on shelter policies to the dark age of catch and kill, and make it the official policy of the city of Los Angeles. We also don’t think it addresses the real cause of bird species decline, namely, human activities and pollution.

One of the other things we’re going to cite is that Urban Wildlands takes great pains to say they’re not advocating for the killing of cats, but that is exactly the effect of the ruling. One of the studies we’re bringing before the court is a 2006 study in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, looking at all shelters in Ohio over an 8-year period. It found that only one shelter had cat deaths dropping instead of rising, and it was the only one with a TNR program.

In 2008 or 2009, there was a study Alley Cat Allies brought to light, a national study conducted by the Harris Poll that found that over 80 percent of respondents thought it was more humane to leave a cat in the street if they knew animal control would put a cat to death.

Given that L.A. city shelters can’t discuss TNR, or refer people to a rescue group, or offer low cost spay/neuter vouchers, or release a feral cat back to the person calling animal control about the cat, the net effect will be an increase in the number of free roaming ferals in the city of Los Angeles. So even if the goal is to reduce numbers to reduce predation, this ruling acts in opposition to that goal.

Winograd said that one of the attorneys involved in the case also represented the NKAC in its previous successful lawsuit against the county of Los Angeles about the rights of access for rescue groups to animals in the county shelters. They expect a fairly rapid ruling on their request to be recognized as an intervener-defendant, which will be heard by the same judge who issued the order. If he rejects it, they’ll appeal, and a different judge would hear the case at that time.