It ought to be a crime

Despite the efforts of Utah animal advocates and animal shelters to curb the numbers of unwanted dogs and cats that are euthanized each year, too many animals are put to death. The Utah Animal Adoption Center estimates 28,000 healthy dogs, cats, puppies and kittens are euthanized annually.

One reason is too many dogs and cats have not been spayed or neutered. They produce puppies and kittens at astonishing rates. Often, those animals end up in private and public animal shelters through no fault of their own. It's a vicious cycle.

So what is the solution? Utahns need to encourage more people to spay and neuter their pets. Many animal-rescue organizations make referrals for or perform low-cost animal spaying and neutering. Salt Lake County, for one, offers discounted licensing fees for spayed or neutered pets.

Los Angeles has taken matters a step further. This past week, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa signed an ordinance requiring most dogs and cats to be spayed or neutered by the time they are 4 months old. Backers say the ordinance is an important step in establishing Los Angeles as a no-kill city.

Penalties range from a gentle reminder from animal services officials, which includes information on subsidized sterilization programs and a 60-day grace period, to a maximum fine of $500 and 40 hours of community service. It would be apt that these offenders volunteer at animal shelters where they could see for themselves the sizable animal populations that result from failing to spay or neuter dogs and cats, let alone spend time with animals scheduled for euthanization.

The Los Angeles ordinance makes a lot of sense. Foremost, it serves an education function and attempts to channel the owners of companion animals into no-cost or low-cost sterilization programs. But for people who will not comply with the ordinance, it carries graduated penalties.

The ordinance also provides reasonable exemptions for animals that have competed in shows or sporting competitions, guide dogs, animals used by police agencies and those belonging to professional breeders.

A growing number of states and municipalities ought to join this movement, which not only helps municipalities but benefits companion animals in terms of their health and well-being.