Protecting Our New Children

As human procreation drops, we replace children with dogs--and legislative efforts reflect it. In addition to a bill to ban pet cloning, here are three other bills currently in front of the California legislature alone:

Ӣ Dogs would be allowed to roam free on a mile-long section of Dockweiler State Beach in Los Angeles County under AB 359 by Assemblyman Mike Gordon (D-El Segundo). There is only one other leash-free dog park on the Los Angeles County coast, in Long Beach. Sponsored by a group of Los Angeles dog lovers called Freeplay, the bill would require that private money be used to maintain the park.

The bill has passed the Assembly and goes next to the Senate.

Ӣ Getting a dog's ears clipped for cosmetic reasons would become a misdemeanor under AB 418 by Assemblyman Paul Koretz (D-West Hollywood). The bill failed to pass the Assembly Appropriations Committee but may be granted reconsideration.

Ӣ Puppies sold in California would have to be at least 8 weeks old under SB 914 by Sen. Christine Kehoe (D-San Diego). The bill is designed to help animal control officers halt the sale of unweaned puppies smuggled from Mexico, many of which are sick and die soon after purchase.

Link.