I generally try to keep a positive attitude, but I am giving in to some negativity today. I’m disappointed that Axel and his pal Jules didn’t do better at the Kentuckiana dog shows this weekend. Not disappointed in them (they are wonderful dogs and must never ever think that they are not), but just that they didn’t get their turn in the spotlight on this go-around.
For me to feel that way about Axel’s showing is not even right, because he wasn’t supposed to even be there, let alone win anything. So for him to bring home even one ribbon (which is what he is doing) is over and above what he was originally supposed to be doing, which is being at home and wrestling with his sister Freya in our own back yard.
Jules is very young still, and her time will most definitely come, probably sooner rather than later. I just wish it could have started this weekend.
If you refer back to Tuesday’s post, I was inconveniencing most of my circle of dog friends just to ensure that Axel didn’t break the major and thus ruin his good karma. Sometimes I am just too impatient about waiting for that good karma to cycle around.
Speaking of bad karma, I did not think I could hate Mayor Daley any worse than I already do as the wife of a Chicago firefighter. I was wrong. On Saturday he spoke out in favor of a mandatory spay/neuter ordinance which is currently in committee, and on which a vote was postponed this past Thursday.
Understand that I am not against spay/neuter. I am against government making the decision to make it mandatory, and against government involvement in a decision that really belongs with pet owners and their veterinarians. Especially in a time when the city of Chicago has so many other critical challenges to face, the idea that this ordinance would be pushed partially as a solution to gang crime and dogfighting is so ludicrous it makes me laugh even as I should be crying. Yeah, I really see gangbangers being affected by this one. They don’t abide by the laws on the books now, such as registration and leash laws which are underenforced. And obviously committing felonies doesn’t bother them if they are fighting dogs in the first place.
If you are a pet owner in Chicago and haven’t yet done so, please check out AKC’s bulletin on the ordinance and send your letter against it before it comes up for a vote again. If you are reading this blog and think that mandatory spay/neuter is a good idea… why are you even here?
This is another thing, aside from the weather, that makes me glad I don’t live in Chicago. Los Angeles has a very similar law to the one you’re speaking about, and I can guarantee it does nothing to curb gang violence out here. The County of Riverside has ordinances that require pets adopted or purchased from public entities to be spayed or neutered, but there are no such restrictions on private sellers. I’m not sure what Chicago and LA think is getting accomplished with the mandatory spay/neuter laws. Another way to make some money?
It probably won’t even succeed at making money. I think more people will be driven “underground” and choose not to register their pets. And the really sad part is that even though it has been stated that veterinarians are not required to narc on unaltered pets, the borderline people will probably still avoid vets just in case, which is obviously not good for animal or human health and safety.