TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

This story was originally published Aug. 14, 2006.

Local animal activists will propose a mandatory spay and neuter ordinance to the Kern County Board of Supervisors at its Tuesday meeting.

The law would require all animals to be surgically altered to prevent breeding.

Activists, who are members of the Taxpayers for Responsible and Ethical Animal Treatment, say forcing the public and government to spay and neuter all animals is the only way to combat dramatic pet overpopulation in Kern County and thousands of county-funded lethal injections that happen every year.

"The people of this community have been given ample opportunity to address the issues of pet overpopulation and, quite frankly, have failed miserably in their efforts," the group wrote in a letter to supervisors.

There are simply not enough homes for all the animals, said TREAT member Vera Edwards.

"Unless we stem the flow of animals being born, no shelter is ever going to be able to play catch-up," Edwards said. "We have an over-abundance of backyard breeders and people who let their dogs roam."

The group does propose that some special-interest animals be allowed to breed under supervision of the county; including law enforcement dogs, dogs which serve disabled persons and competition show dogs.

A number of California counties has implemented a mandatory spay and neuter program and seen a dramatic reduction in euthanization rates. Santa Cruz implemented its program in 1997 and it dropped its euthanization rate to 34 percent by 2003, officials there say.

Kern's euthanization rate was 70 percent in the 2005-06 fiscal year.

Supervisors also will hear Tuesday from officials at the various departments who responded to people in need during the boiling-hot days of the July heat wave.

Recreation and Parks, Aging and Adult Services, Human Services, EMS and Public Health departments are among the county groups that responded to the heat with home visits, cooling center hours and emergency calls.

Other items on Tuesday's agenda include:

* A proposed agricultural trucking business on Costajo Street south of Shafter Road, south of Bakersfield. County staffers have recommended denial of the plan, saying the truck yard would bring too much traffic, dust and light pollution to nearby homes.

* A tract of 282 homes is proposed in the Greenfield area south of Bakersfield. Neighbors oppose the location of rental property in the project, the increased traffic in the area and small-lot homes. County staffers are recommending approval of the plan.