Thanks for posting this article from the Bakersfield Californian.  This is a huge problem in our area -- one that is disproportionate to our population, and needs to be addressed.  There are a number of pet rescues in Tehachapi that are trying to keep pets out of the shelters, find them homes, and assist with spay/neuter costs.  They are all privately run and in desperate need of supplies, volunteers and funds.  If anyone would like to help, volunteer their time, or adopt a pet, please see the websites for Tehachapi Humane Society www.TehachapiHumane.org, Save Tehachapi's Orphaned Pets (STOP) www.TheStoppers.org or the Doberman rescue www.dobiesos.org.  Any effort to help, even a small one, can make a big difference in the life of a homeless pet.  Local adoption events are held regularly in Tehachapi at Canine Creek and the Tehachapi Pet Lodge, so I hope more folks will consider rescuing their next best friend.  For dates and times of these events, please see our website's Calendar page.

Any rescue groups, worth their salt, make sure the dogs and/or cats are always spayed/neutered before they are adopted out; this is common sense, pure and simple.  However, in dealing with the collective public, there are way too many who do not have a clue about taking care of a pet (meaning:  spay/neuter issue)  mainly because they do not even consider the dog or cat as a member of the family.  On the other side of the coin, there are many responsible pet owners, who make sure their furry friend has the proper care, from A to Z.  it is that simple and that complex.

On the financial side:  L.A. County sends a yearly bill out to the dog's owner to pay for the current tags vs. Kern County's extremely backward thinking policy:  Based on how long your dog's Rabies Certificate is good for (say 3 years,then they wait the two years in between WHERE THEY COULD HAVE COLLECTED A SMALL YEARLY FEE) . . . This is not even Finance 101, people.

The grim reality:  There is a 3,000 pound dog or cat in the room and nobody wants to talk about it.  This is at least the second time that James Burger, writer for TBF, has made his case on the front page section; writer, Lois Henry for the TBF, has contributed another good article, Local "B" section, asking for comments. 

The responsible people are trying their best to do the right thing; spay and neutering their cats and dogs, which will eliminate over-population.  Be the change, be the solution, not the problem.  Unwanted litters are just that:  unwanted and discarded, put in the back room where nobody wants to hear about it, much less look at it., and articles will be written and nothing done about it.  Wake up, Kern County officials.

The thoughtless people who do not spay or neuter their pets will continue to be the problem; if you think otherwise, you are not thinking at all.

THINK OCCASIONALLY OF THE SUFFERING OF WHICH YOU SPARE YOURSELF THE SIGHT.

 Another wake-up call, from 2005 . . . tick-tock . . .

http://www.bakersfield.com/...

 Unfortunately, with the looming recession more and more people who are living pay check to pay check are going to abandoning their animals.  There has already been an increase of animals being left behind when homes are foreclosed.  Yet some readers feel that spay and neutering is not the answer--responsible pet owner ship is.  Wish they would pull their head out of the sand!

 I  agree 110% with awsmom8 concerning the housing crisis and the growing number of innocent furry friends who are left to twist in the wind.  When we moved from L.A. County to God's country, here in Tehachapi, we were appalled at how many dogs were roaming around, only to learn that the owners skipped out, in a hurry, and left the furry friends to fend for themselves.  Clearly, this is a serious sign of the times and a topic that is an on-going dilemma; one would argue that dogs and cats (or birds or whatever your favorite choice is) cannot be equated with a human being; guess again, it is a living being that you initially chose to feed and provide shelter and love; remember love?

You would not dream of abandoning your child, or maybe you would . . . Just walk away from it all, but I digress.

People, get a clue:  Spay and/or neuter your cats and dogs; if you do not, you are the problem . . .

 And to those of you who don't want to castrate your dog--OK but get him a vasectomy!  Yes!! They do them in dogs too!  Some owners should of got one early too but that is a different blog....

 awsmom8 - I love that you said that because one of my favorite sayings is "spay or neuter your stupid people".

I agree 100% with everything said so far. Animals are not disposable, ignoring the problem won't do a thing to fix it, and spaying/neutering  is a responsibility.

 I agree with all of the comments on the necessity of spaying and neutering our pets to cut down on the enormous overpopulation of animals in Kern County.  There really are not good homes for all of them.  As for Terri Kahn's comment, I really believe that intelligent, responsible people do tend to have their pets sterilized.  Unfortunately, Kern County is not Lake Woebegon:  everyone isn't "above average".  So, yes, we do need an ordinance because of those irresponsible pet owners.  People who don't support a spay/neuter ordinance should volunteer some time every month to help euthanize all the unwanted animals in the shelter.  Maybe that would save the county enough money to sponsor some low-cost spay/neuter clinics!

Why not mandate spay and neutering for all purebred animals?  The bias against Heinz 57 dogs is just ugly eugenics, and the up-nose tut-tutting at boxes of free puppies at SaveMart is just another case of class warfare of the haves against the have-nots. 

Make it illegal to buy or sell puppies and you'll see the number of abandoned animals decline.  Do you think it is a coincidence that the number of unwanted pets has grown during the same period that free puppies have become rare and that purebred dogs ceased being the province of fussy old ladies and become a mainstream practice?

Caninecreek..  I have the Tehachapi Humane Society and the STOP websites linking to your site http://caninecreek.com , especially since you update your lost and found section so regularly.  Your lost and found section can't be outdone... it's the best info Tehachapi has on our lost and found pets.  Kudos

And hey, don't forget to join http://thestoppers.org/netw...      We are getting a lot of members and your information is needed.

awsmom...GREAT POST... This one really got to me, I'm gonna post a picture and some information on the STOP network.  ugh, it's heartbreaking.

 Well Bizmgr1, I too used to think that intelligent, responsible people would spay and neuter their pets.  But unfortunately I have  too many times been proven wrong.  I know a woman who has a bachelors degree, is an RN so should be aware how reproduction occurs yet allows her cats to have litters. At my urging/pleadings/"threats" she finally got them all spayed--all but one!!!!!  Another is a TEACHER here in Tehachapi that has let her cat have multiple litters.  Yet in every other aspect of their lifes, I would consider these people to be responsible adults.  So unfortunately, Nazi type mandatory spay and neuter laws are going to have to be used to control the overpopulation of pets.

I love my animals--yet have never allowed any of my cats/dogs to have litters.  I can think of nothing more fun than to have a litter of kittens for my kids to experience the "joy of life."   But until I can afford to pay for entire litter to be spay/neutered, it's just not going to happen.  And to those of you who their kids to also "experience the joy of life" and allow their animals to multiply, have your kids also "experience the sadness of death" and hold one of those unwanted dogs while they euthanize them.  That would be experiencing the true circle of life in an animals eyes.

CATS RULE!!!!!

If you have the courage to read the enclosed article, it says it all, however, it will not bother anyone without a conscience.  WARNING:  You will need Kleenex, guaranteed.

http://www.jaxanimals.com/a...

 Oh God, DonMar... I'm so depressed now!  That was painful to read.

 Nope==I'll pass.  There isn't a box of Kleenex big enough.  I would have nightmare for weeks.  Just imagining what is on there is too much for me.

 Progresso - I'm not discriminating against Heinz 57 animals. I believe that all animals whether they are purebred or not should be spayed or neutered unless they are active in the show ring or part of a responsible breeding program (meaning genetic testing, breeding for the betterment of the breed, no known behavioral or health issues in the line, being willing to take back any sick or unwanted puppies you sell, and only selling a puppy with a spay/neuter contract).

I personally have a purebred dog and a Heinz 57 dog, they were both spayed when they were 6 mths old. My cats were also all spayed as soon as they were old enough.