Please Continue Contacting the Members of the City Council!

The vote for a proposed city ordinance in New Orleans has been rescheduled for Tuesday, October 20. This proposal is being pushed by radical animal “rights” and anti-hunting organizations in an effort to end dog ownership as we know it.  This measure requires every dog older than six months to be spayed or neutered.  Owners hoping to breed their dogs at some point during their lives would be required to apply annually to the Louisiana SPCA for an "intact" permit, which is $50 for the first year alone. 

The LASPCA has the power to deny issuance of an “intact” permit without cause and an application to the LASPCA may only be made when a host of stringent criteria are met. One such criterion would be having to microchip your dog. This is simply one more example of the extreme nature of this proposed ordinance.  The decision to microchip a dog should be left to the owner, especially in cases where there could be potential health implications. 

The LASPCA has no duty to give renewal notice to “intact” permit holders.  If you miss the repetitious annual registration because of a family crisis or simply because you are a busy mother or father racing to soccer games and school events with your kids, the LASPCA can impound the family dog and impose fines up to $500 per dog.

This legislation threatens to keep hunters and other dog owners from making decisions based upon their own personal circumstances. It will prevent hunters from continuing the tradition of occasionally breeding their favorite dogs in order to provide other hunters with good dogs, while defraying some of the costs associated with caring for their animals.  From a financial perspective, the bill discriminates against hunters with limited budgets and families whose budgets are already stretched thin in the current economy. 

It is critical that you attend the hearing and vote scheduled for Tuesday, October 20 at City Hall (1300 Perdido Street, New Orleans).  It is equally important that you contact your Council Members listed below and urge them to oppose this overreaching and discriminatory legislation.  

Council President Arnie Fielkow (At-Large)
afielkow@cityofno.com

Council Vice President Jacquelyn Brechtel Clarkson (At-Large)
jbclarkson@cityofno.com

Councilwoman Shelley Midura (District A)
smidura@cityofno.com

Councilwoman Stacy Head (District B)
shead@cityofno.com

Councilman James Carter (District C)
jcarter@cityofno.com

Councilwoman Cynthia Hedge-Morrell (District D) - ordinance sponsor
chmorrell@cityofno.com

Councilwoman Cynthia Willard-Lewis (District E)
cwlewis@cityofno.com