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Governor kills plan for shelters after fur flies

Ellies, 6, a chow-retriever mix who was rescued from an animal shelter, was one of several canines and their owners to demonstrate Friday at the Capitol against a proposal by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger that would make it easier for animal shelters to kill stray dogs and cats.Ellies, 6, a chow-retriever mix who was rescued from an animal shelter, was one of several canines and their owners to demonstrate Friday at the Capitol against a proposal by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger that would make it easier for animal shelters to kill stray dogs and cats. (Associated PressAssociated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
From wire reports
Ellies, 6, a chow-retriever mix who was rescued from an animal shelter, was one of several canines and their owners to demonstrate Friday at the Capitol against a proposal by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger that would make it easier for animal shelters to kill stray dogs and cats.Ellies, 6, a chow-retriever mix who was rescued from an animal shelter, was one of several canines and their owners to demonstrate Friday at the Capitol against a proposal by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger that would make it easier for animal shelters to kill stray dogs and cats. (Associated PressAssociated Press / The Spokesman-Review)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, in the doghouse with animal-welfare advocates for proposing that shelters be allowed to kill stray animals more quickly to save money, said Friday that his budget recommendation was a mistake.

As part of his budget first drafted in December, the governor asked the Legislature to repeal a 1998 law requiring shelters to hold dogs and cats up to six days before destroying them. The law is dubbed the Hayden Act, after former Santa Monica state senator and activist Tom Hayden.

The governor wanted to save local governments that operate the shelters $14 million by cutting the waiting period in half.

But after a nationwide storm of protest, the governor organized a press conference outside his Capitol office and confessed to his error.

“I realized last night that there was a mistake that I made on the budget,” he explained, noting he had only a few weeks to put his proposed budget together between his inauguration in November and when the document went to the printers in December.

Statewide, an estimated 600,000 dogs and cats are put to death each year – 34,000 in Los Angeles alone. In addition to cats and dogs, the shelters also care for many other animals including birds, hamsters, potbellied pigs, rabbits, snakes and turtles.

H.D. Palmer, a spokesman for the state Department of Finance, had said the six-day waiting period caused overcrowding and forced some shelters to kill off animals.

Political observers noted the issue was potentially volatile.

“Cats and dogs are like mom and apple pie,” said Barbara O’Connor, director of the Institute for the Study of Politics and Media at California State University, Sacramento. “Don’t mess with the pets. Most people prefer them to other people.”

Few issues can incite animal lovers more than the abuse or killing of pets. Los Angeles’ animal services director, Jerry Greenwalt, retired in April after protesters vandalized his house and spray-painted “murderer” on his car. Claiming the city euthanized too many animals, protesters also picketed the San Pedro home of Mayor James K. Hahn (only to be targeted themselves by Hahn’s neighbors, armed with water squirt guns).

The Legislature is working to pass the state’s budget before the next fiscal year begins July 1.