Spring Into Action: Protect Animals Through Spay and Neuter Legislation

Portrait of Delilah photo: Michael Angelo Torres

As we spring into April, it's a great time to reflect on where we are today with San Francisco’s animal issues – and where we could be. With that in mind, I’d like to share my thoughts on what’s probably the city’s most discussed animal-related topic these days: the proposed legislative changes to San Francisco’s spay and neuter policy.

As background, the Animal Commission voted unanimously to support this proposed legislation back in our January meeting. That vote followed a presentation on the proposed changes by Deputy Director Amy Corso from the city’s Department of Animal Care and Control (SF ACC).

In short, these changes would expand the current breed-specific requirement for mandatory spay/neuter -  currently required only for Pit Bull type breeds - to include all dogs. Under this proposal, all dogs one year of age or older would be required to be spayed or neutered unless they qualified for exemptions, such as for medical reasons. Enforcement would be complaint-based and focused on achieving compliance rather than punishment. The approach is modeled in part on policies in other jurisdictions, including Los Angeles, and is intended to help reduce shelter intakes and improve animal well-being.

In recent years, SF ACC has seen a steady increase in the number of dogs entering its shelter, including a notable rise in puppies. While there are many factors that contribute to this trend, unplanned births remain a significant driver. When we talk about overcrowding, length of stay, or the difficult outcomes that animals face when entering a shelter, we are often talking about situations that could – and should - have been prevented earlier.

At the same time, I want to be clear that legislation alone won’t do it. Access to low-cost and no-cost spay and neuter services is essential – and when I say low cost, I mean an amount that is truly affordable as opposed to what is currently considered to be “low cost” in San Francisco these days. If we’re asking people to comply with a requirement, we must ensure that compliance is realistic and achievable.

It’s also important to recognize that a mandatory spay and neuter policy is not only about prevention but also about protection. As readers of this column know, my animal experience comes from years of volunteering for animal rescue organizations, and sharing my life with senior dogs, specifically those who have special medical needs or are in hospice care.

One such dog was Delilah, a tiny Pomeranian I adopted from Muttville Senior Dog Rescue when she was 10 years old. Sadly, Delilah had endured years of forced breeding in the California Central Valley and was then surrendered to a high-kill shelter. During the almost four years that I was blessed to have her in my life, Delilah lived with chronic illness, fragile bones, and other medical conditions that reflected a lifetime of brutal exploitation. This included mammary tumors, which are significantly more common in female dogs who are not spayed. Delilah’s strength and capacity for love will always be with me, as will the knowledge that much of her suffering could have been prevented if she had been spayed earlier in life.

My experiences with Delilah reinforced for me that a mandatory spay and neuter policy is not only a prevention measure but also a critical component of long-term health and well-being. My support for these legislative changes is not just about reducing the number of shelter intakes but also about sparing animals from avoidable medical conditions and suffering later in life.

 We have an opportunity to do the right thing and make spay and neuter mandatory in San Francisco. Let’s stop animal suffering before it begins.

Take Action!

If you have something to say about SF ACC’s proposed mandatory spay/neuter legislation, now’s your chance to make a comment. The Board of Supervisors’ Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee will discuss the issue at its Thursday, April 9, meeting, beginning at 10 a.m. in Room 250 at City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco. For more information, visit the committee’s website: sfbos.org/public-safety-and-neighborhood-services.

And speaking of action, the Animal Commission will discuss this year’s priorities at our own April 9 meeting (details below) when we’ll talk about next steps and provide updates regarding agenda items from earlier meetings. If there’s an issue that you’d like the commission to consider as a future agenda item, please let us know. Your input helps shape our work, and we welcome the opportunity to continue these important conversations.

As always, you know where to find us.

 See you at City Hall!

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The next meeting of the Commission of Animal Control and Welfare will be held at 5:30 p.m., Thursday, April 9, in Room 408 at City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA 94102. Information concerning remote access to meetings is on our website (agendas for upcoming meetings are published within 72 hours prior to that meeting).

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Please be aware that the views and opinions expressed in this column are those of Commissioner Torres and do not necessarily reflect the official policies or positions of the Commission of Animal Control and Welfare.