Koretz Opposes Repeal of Animal Welfare Law

Councilman Paul Koretz Wednesday called for Gov. Jerry Brown to stop trying to repeal an animal welfare law that requires government-run animal shelters to keep stray pets at least four days before euthanizing them.

If successful in undoing the law, some pet owner may be too late to save their cat, dog or other animal friend.

Brown proposed repealing the so-called Hayden Law to save the state about $23 million per year. Repealing the law would reduce the required time for holding stray animals to 72 hours.

Koretz introduced a resolution during today's City Council meeting that put the city on record as opposed to the effort. If the law were repealed, a requirement for shelters to provide lost-and-found postings and ``necessary prompt veterinary care'' would also be eliminated, he said.

A spokesman for Brown could not be immediately reached for comment.

``If appeal is allowed to occur, shelters could revert back to the bad old law and only hold dogs and cats for 72 hours before killing, euthanizing them,'' Koretz said. ``Obviously this would lead to many animals being killed in shelters, often before owners desperately searching for lost pets are able to retrieve them alive.''

The Hayden Law was passed in 1998 then-state Sen. Tom Hayden in an effort to make California shelters more accountable and provide owners of lost pets more time to recover them.

The resolution is scheduled to be heard in the City Council Personnel and Animal Welfare Committee on March 13.

–City News Service