Q How is it exactly that a stricter animal ordinance, licensing, and other registration agendas are going to create a healthier and happier community?

A Licensing of animals creates a revenue stream that is badly needed in Kern County for education and spay and neuter programs. Less stray dogs on the street and in the shelter would be safer for the residents and companion animals of the community. Also, the community could finally take pride that they demonstrate kindness to animals, knowing that their County is being pro-active, instead of reactive to the overpopulation and discarded companion animal problem.

Q Is enforcement going to create a positive image in our community which will encourage productive people to move or do business here?

A Of course it will. If Kern likes and accepts being viewed as a "backwater", "the sticks", "good old boy" town that doesn't care about it's animal overpopulation problem, don't you think that this reputation is unattractive to state of the art, cutting technology companies?

Q How are they going to make us safer? Will our dogs be better socialized and happier pets if we do this?

A Evidence the roundup of stray dogs before the start of school for the children this semester. If KCAC is stating that they can't get out to pick up stray animals right away on a normal day, and that animal remains on the street, fearful, wondering where its next meal is going to come from, what are the chances of a bite occurrence? If we had less stray pets, we wouldn't even be discussing this, or having to round up stray, unwanted animals in time for the start of the school year.

Q If you're lucky, there will be about 10% compliance at best. How far are we willing to go to enforce these punitive taxes and registration schemes? Will there be sting operations such as in New Hampshire? Increased expenses? What about time? Effort? What about the overall cost of compromising goodwill and trust of your community?

A Right now there is very little trust and goodwill in the community. There are backyard breeders churning out purebred dogs that die in the shelters- just check the classifieds in the newspaper and look at the sheer number of classified ads for dogs and cats. Other communities door knock to check and register licensing - why can't Kern? Right now there is no enforcement, and the kill rate is exorbitantly high - is your group supporting that? If you are in compliance, there should be nothing to fear if the program is supervised and operated FAIRLY and lawfully.

Q What positive things will this ordinance accomplish?

A More funds for education and events for local pet owners. More funds for spay and neuter. Spay and neuter will immediately start to cut down on the number of animals killed at Kern shelters.

Q What is there to gain by making it stricter? For that matter, who gains?

A The animals gain. We all gain, but you aren't looking at the big picture, or far enough down the road.

Q Why is enforcing it going to be a more rewarding job? Wouldn't Animal Services be more productive by adopting and following through with an positive mission statement?

A Right now, nothing about KCAC services is rewarding. If they had more funds to work with, perhaps morale would be higher, pro-active programs would be simpler to put into place, and it would be easier to deal with educated pet owners on a daily basis. How can you follow through with a positive mission statement when you can bark, but not bite?

Q If mandatory spay/neuter is going to be on the books, is local government prepared to take responsibility for shelter abuses, endure importation of dogs from out-of-state, Mexico, and Asia; even willing to force surgery on someone's innocent pet?

A Don't you think that unaltered animals are forced to have puppies whether they like it or not? Is that what you consider healthier? Litter after litter after litter of dogs for whom homes are hard to find? What is better about the situation now, besides the interests that you are trying to protect?

Q Is the local government actually want to be a contributing member of an animal rightist agenda? Do we really want to be a "PETA Approved" community? A domestic terrorist "Co-Op"? (Use sparingly)

A Oh, please, neutering your pet does not make one a PETA leftist. PETA doesn't support having pets or domesticated animals. Read up some before you make ridiculous statements like that. Nobody in this room that supports this ordinance is an Animal Defense League member, and there have been no terrorist attacks on anyone. Check your facts, please.

Q Why is it good to punish the most productive and most responsible pet-owners in the world?

A Can you clarify "most productive", please? While we agree that there are some very reputable breeders that do take their dogs back and re-home them, most backyard breeders do not. They don't show dogs, or care how many litters are healthy for each dog. They aren't very judicious about where their products go, and this is simply a "cash crop" to them. If we could all find a way to regulate this, and to separate the responsible breeders from the irresponsible ones and puppy millers, we'd have the problem solved, if instituted along with low cost spay/neuter, compliance and education programs.

Q What is the opportunity cost of not tapping into the Dog Fancy and show-breeders alike as an educational resource?

A This question makes absolutely no sense to me at all. But if this question is asking what the cost is to tap into the dog fanciers/show/breed orgs to help support positive changes in the community for the animals, I have to ask: "Where have you been for the last two years?" How many of you breed and do breed RESCUE, as well? How are YOU helping solve the problem right now?

Q Shouldn't the Fancy be the local government's primary contact and resource for creating ordinances?

A Why? Can you demonstrate and prove up exactly how you have helped to date? Have you walked the shelter to see how many of your breed are there? Are members of your breed clubs micro-chipping before adopting "their product" out to the public? Can we document where the dogs are coming from? Again, how have you been pro-active to date assisting to solve the problem at the Kern County shelters?

Q And finally: Our local government hasn't been taking advice from the Human Society of the United States (HSUS), People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Animal Liberation Front (ALF), Earth Liberation Front (ELF) and a bunch of animal rightist-infiltrated animal shelter agencies... has it?

A Rescuers and members of the humane community from all over California have been working very hard to help change the unwanted and overpopulation of companion animals problem. To date there has been no funding or assistance from outside sources, other than the rescue community, some interested private citizens, and progressive shelter managers and employees that have contributed suggestions and offers of assistance. Your group of AKC supported breeders and activists far outweighs the monetary power of the humane community. That has not stopped other communities from doing the right thing, and adopting a kinder, gentler way of doing business with the companion animal owners in their venues. There is no reason that Kern County should not do the same. There is history here, with the lawsuit. Currently, Kern is under scrutiny by an entire nation of animal lovers who hope that this community and their elected officials will do the right thing.