BILL NUMBER: ACR 19 ENROLLED BILL TEXT ADOPTED IN SENATE MARCH 26, 2009 ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 2, 2009 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 2, 2009 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Smyth (Principal coauthor: Assembly Member Lieu) (Coauthors: Assembly Members Adams, Ammiano, Anderson, Bass, Beall, Bill Berryhill, Tom Berryhill, Blakeslee, Block, Blumenfield, Brownley, Buchanan, Caballero, Charles Calderon, Carter, Conway, Cook, Coto, De La Torre, De Leon, DeVore, Duvall, Emmerson, Eng, Evans, Feuer, Fong, Fuentes, Fuller, Gaines, Galgiani, Hagman, Hall, Hayashi, Hernandez, Hill, Huber, Huffman, Jeffries, Jones, Knight, Krekorian, Logue, Bonnie Lowenthal, Ma, Mendoza, Miller, Monning, Nava, Niello, Nielsen, John A. Perez, V. Manuel Perez, Portantino, Price, Ruskin, Salas, Saldana, Silva, Skinner, Solorio, Audra Strickland, Torlakson, Torrico, Tran, Villines, and Yamada) FEBRUARY 4, 2009 Relative to Spay Day USA 2009. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST ACR 19, Smyth. Spaying and neutering. This measure would declare February 24, 2009, to be Spay Day USA 2009, and would request that Californians observe that day by having their dogs or cats spayed or neutered and by contributing to organizations that provide spay and neuter services. WHEREAS, More than one-half of one million dogs and cats entered animal shelters in California during 2007, the most recent year for which statewide data is available; and WHEREAS, Nearly half of these animals were not reclaimed by their owners or were not adopted by new owners, and thus were euthanized; and WHEREAS, In most instances these dogs and cats are young, healthy, and friendly animals that are euthanized simply because there are not enough good homes for them; and WHEREAS, An additional unknown number of animals die each year due to abandonment, neglect, abuse, starvation, or cruelty; and WHEREAS, The cost to government and nonprofit agencies of handling and euthanizing discarded animals approaches one-quarter of one billion dollars per year; and WHEREAS, The spaying or neutering of dogs and cats helps solve this tragic and costly problem by reducing the number of dogs and cats that end up in shelters; and WHEREAS, It is the policy of the State of California that animal shelters should aggressively promote spay and neuter programs to reduce pet overpopulation; and WHEREAS, Californians can contribute to this effort by spaying or neutering their own companion animals and by supporting programs in their communities that offer accessible spay and neuter services; and WHEREAS, Veterinarians, humane societies, animal control agencies, and national and local animal welfare organizations will join together to advocate the spaying or neutering of dogs and cats on "Spay Day USA 2009," an annual campaign of the Humane Society of the United States; and WHEREAS, In particular, the Sacramento area is celebrating its 10th anniversary as a national leader in the coordination of Spay Day USA events designed to meet the needs of low-income families, and this year will exceed a total of 5,000 dogs and cats spayed or neutered as part of Spay Day USA events; now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature of the State of California declares February 24, 2009, to be Spay Day USA 2009 and requests Californians to observe the day by having their dogs or cats spayed or neutered and by contributing to charitable organizations that provide spay and neuter services; and the Legislature further requests that California veterinarians work with animal shelters and rescue groups to provide accessible spay and neuter services; and be it further Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.