Hello everybody.   
      
   California has a massive budget crisis and since our state is in a state of   
   gridlock where Democrats refuse to concede cuts to their pet causes and   
   Republicans failing to fund the expansive state budget, our Governor is trying   
   to find so many small items to cut to help to provide substantive fiscal   
   relief. The issue that has gotten thousands of animal welfare advocates   
   mobilized is the movement to repeal the Hayden Law for shelter animals that   
   was passed in 1998 and signed by Governor Wilson. Haydens legislation was   
   intended to help reunite pets with their owners in the instance they may have   
   become lost and also to encourage animal shelters to focus on working on   
   adoptions instead of putting animals down.   
      
   In an effort to trim costs, the governors budgetary staff has stricken out   
   particular parts of the law in their trailer bill that will likely be part of   
   the next state budget. First, animal shelters will not be mandated to provide   
   necessary and prompt care when an animal needs medical assistance so if an   
   animal is in needed for treatment it will either suffer in pain or be the   
   first one to be put down. Second, animals that are not traditionally dog or   
   cat will not be guaranteed the new 72 hour hold period, if the shelter is in   
   danger of running out of space they will likely be put down. Third,   
   regulations that require accountability in our animal shelters will be   
   repealed so we will not find out the status of any animal medically treated or   
   impounded. Four, there will not be a six business day holding period if your   
   animal runs out of your home. If you are on vacation and your pet is impounded   
   on a weekend expect your animal to not see Monday. The new rule will be 72   
   hours from the date of impoundment including days animal control may be closed   
   to the public.   
      
   The Hayden Law is still needed, and repealing the Hayden Law is very drastic   
   when we can suspend relevant clauses until our state is in better fiscal   
   health. Even so, shelters in various parts of our state have violated the   
   Hayden Law for shelter animals and without the law expect it to happen across   
   the state. We should be able to provide dignity and respect for the companion   
   animals that many of us value. We should keep the law on the books to further   
   the cause of adoption and reduce the instance of putting animals down. We need   
   to clamp down on animal shelters that deny volunteers, refuse the acceptance   
   of blankets to help keep animals comfortable in concrete or outdoor kennels   
   and refuse to cooperate with rescue organizations that want to save animals   
   from being put down due to crowded kennels.   
      
   Budget analysiss claim that these changes will save 46 million dollars, but   
   there are much bigger fish to fry for the state of California to have   
   meaningful budget reform such as dealing with the looming public employee   
   pension crisis or curtailing the spiraling costs of high speed rail. However   
   the thousands of shelter animals do not have a lobby as viable as the SEIU or   
   the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Organization. That is why people like you and me   
   who live in our state are encouraged to lobby their state legislators and our   
   governor to reject this misguided proposal. First, look up your state   
   legislator and find out if they are a member of the state budget committee for   
   the assembly or senate. If they are then its strongly encouraged to lobby them   
   because they are able to kill the proposal before it gets to a full vote. Even   
   if your legislator is not on the budget committee, if the misguided proposal   
   passes, we need them to defeat it at the full floor vote.   
      
   Crossposted from Orange Juice blog.   
      
      
   Matt   
      
   ... Stay tuned as The Canadiens take on Matt Munson's team.   
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