TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

This story was originally published Sept. 21 2007.

There was a new round of debate Wednesday night in an ongoing, rough-knuckle fight to craft new animal control ordinances for Kern County.

Animal breeders came out on top.

Members of the Kern County Animal Control Commission abandoned all plans to require permits for animal breeders or registration of animal litters.

Instead, the commission proposed rules that would require permits for large animal-keeping operations like rescue groups and large commercial animal operations.

The permits would allow the county to visit and inspect such “establishments,” said Kern County Animal Control chief Denise Haynes.

Breeders have hotly opposed a permit that would subject their operations to county enforcement.

“Everything relating to a breeder’s permit and litter registration was removed,” Haynes said.

The breeding permit was originally proposed to combat Kern County’s dramatic animal overpopulation problem — which triggers the euthanization of more than 16,000 dogs and cats in Kern County shelters every year.

Haynes said the animal establishment permit would not truly impact the animal overpopulation problem.

Other proposed rules would help, she said, such as a “repeat offender” rule that would trigger spay or neuter surgery for animals impounded by the county more than once in a 12-month period.

Commission member Janice Anderson said Kern County needs to take smaller steps toward controlling animal overpopulation before imposing a tougher breeding rule.

“Realistically, having a breeding permit or litter permit wasn’t going to work. It was unenforceable,” she said. “We cannot micromanage people’s lives.”

Haynes acknowledged that her division does not yet have the resources to enforce a breeding rule.

Anderson said Animal Control needs to enforce existing licensing laws before taking on more work.

“What we heard from the public was, ‘enforce the laws we have and educate the public,’” Haynes said.

Anderson said if the proposed rules don’t impact overpopulation, then the county can come back and take a tougher stance.

“You’ve got to give these programs time to work. We have to put this in place and see how it works,” she said.

Commissioners provisionally approved the new rules Wednesday, but they will need to be reviewed by the public and debated during another commission meeting before they are sent to the Kern County Board of Supervisors.

“We’re not anywhere near done,” Anderson said.