TITLE
Recommendation to respectfully request City Manager to work with the City Attorney to review the Long Beach Municipal Code for necessary changes related to spay/neutering, cat licensing, mobile unit education, enabling Long Beach Animal Care Services to better manage animal populations throughout the City; and
Request City Manager to develop recommendations for City Council review within the next 60 days that achieves the following goals:
1. Reduce the number of unwanted animals through the promotion of low cost spay and neuter procedures at local veterinary hospitals and clinics.
2. Reduce the number of animals impounded at the local shelter through the promotion of a citywide licensing program that includes all animals (e.g. cats, dogs and other).
3. Increase the number of animals returned to their owners (and reduce euthanasia of unclaimed animals) by increasing access to education, licensing and microchipping services in hard-to-reach communities (particularly those where animal populations have been difficult to manage).
4. Expand education and volunteer training programs to support the mission of Animal Care Services and enforcement of the Long Beach Municipal Code, particularly in those areas of the City where animal populations have become difficult to manage.
DISCUSSION
In May 2007, the City Council asked the City Manager to develop a proposal for controlling our animal population with elements that included mandatory microchipping, cat licensing and mandatory spay/neutering for biting animals or those impounded more than a certain number of times (see attached report). In January 2008, staff returned with a report detailing strategies aimed at reducing the number of homeless pets in our city in an effort to reduce the number of animals euthanized annually.
In March 2008 the City Council's Public Safety Committee discussed similar issues related to vicious dog biting, administrative fines, mandatory microchipping and a linkage between mandato...
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