McAllen mulls spay/neuter law
McALLEN — City leaders are considering an ordinance that would require virtually all McAllen dog and cat owners to spay or neuter the animals.
The move is being led by City Commissioner John Ingram, who said the city has to do something to combat the rising cost of managing stray animals for the city.
Last year, the city paid Palm Valley Animal Shelter more than $282,000 to take in and euthanize stray animals. That figure has climbed nearly 90 percent over the past five years.
Local governments in the Valley paid a combined $1.3 million to the shelter in 2008.
"When you look at the explosive growth, we need to get a handle on it," Ingram said, adding that the city will likely hold a workshop in March to discuss the issue.
Though animal advocates and Ingram say they know the ordinance could be unpopular, they believe it's necessary.
That's because Palm Valley Animal Shelter - the only animal shelter serving the region - has had to euthanize almost 30,000 animals every year for the past five years.
"We're tired of having to do it," said Dr. Steve Bentsen, a McAllen veterinarian who serves on the shelter's board. "These are nice animals."
The idea of mandatory spaying and neutering is picking up steam across the country. Los Angeles and Dallas approved spay-and-neuter ordinances last year, and a statewide spay-and-neuter bill has been introduced in Florida.
Ingram is asking the city to model its ordinance on one Austin leaders considered a few years ago.
A spokeswoman for the city of Austin could not immediately confirm the status of that measure Tuesday. However, the proposed ordinance required city residents with dogs and cats to spay or neuter their animals if they were at least six months old, with exceptions made for medical reasons.
The measure allowed residents to keep their animals "intact" for $100 per animal per year and required breeders to pay a fee of $500 per litter.
Breeders' groups like the American Kennel Club and United Kennel Club oppose spay-and-neuter laws like the one McAllen is considering.
"Instead, we support reasonable and enforceable laws that protect the welfare and health of purebred dogs and do not restrict the rights of breeders and owners who take their responsibilities seriously," the AKC says in a statement on its Web site.
Bentsen cautioned that an ordinance would have to be planned carefully.
An influx of many animals being spayed and neutered could temporarily overload local veterinarians. The city will also have to work out the details of how to enforce such an ordinance.
And, to avoid people abandoning their pets rather than pay for the surgery, he believes the city should avoid approving the measure until the RGV Low Cost Spay/Neuter Clinic at North 23rd Street and Pecan Boulevard opens in April.
Richard Garcia, a former Edinburg mayor who served on the Palm Valley Animal Shelter's board last year, agreed that city leaders could face some blowback from the public over a spay-and-neuter ordinance, especially since it increases costs for dog and cat owners during these tough economic times.
"I think if you stand back and look at it ... it's a small price to pay for taking a proactive approaching to solving the problem," Garcia said. "Eventually, it will cost taxpayers a lot less."
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Ryan Holeywell covers McAllen, PSJA, the Mid-Valley and general assignments for The Monitor. He can be reached at (956) 683-4446.
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Palm Valley Animal Shelter services in 2008:
>> Animals received: 38,094
>> Animals adopted: 1,903
>> Animals euthanized: 29,780
Top five financial contributors to Palm Valley Animal Shelter in 2008:
>> McAllen: $282,200
>> Hidalgo County: $233,333
>> Pharr: $197,559
>> Edinburg: $193,045
>> San Juan: $136,931
