Vote Recommendation | Economic Freedom | Property Rights | Personal Responsibility | Limited Government | Individual Liberty |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral |
SB 1781 seeks to make the euthanasia of cats, dogs, or other shelter animals a last resort for shelters in Bexar county and counties along the Gulf of Mexico and the U.S.-Mexico border.
Under the provisions of this bill a person may not euthanize a cat, dog, or other shelter animal if they can be safely placed in an empty or shared (with an animal of the same species) cage, kennel, or other living environment. This does not include areas designated for people to become acquainted with the animals nor does it include areas designated for the treatment of sick or injured animals.
SB 1781 would not apply to to sick or rabid animals, animals deemed dangerous to themselves or others, or terminally ill animals.
SB 1781 does not require an agent of a shelter to: group unrelated or unfamiliar animals together before health and behavior screenings, group animals that bully other animals together, or place more than 6 dogs or 12 cats in a cage, kennel, or other living environment unless deemed appropriate by a staff member.
SB 1781 does not prohibit a person who is an agent of an animal shelter from euthanizing an animal to make a cage or kennel space available for an additional animal, if the additional animal is expected to arrive at the animal shelter within a reasonable period of time.
SB 1781 seeks to make euthanasia a last resort for shelter animals in the counties bracketed into this bill by maximizing space at the shelters. It is debatable whether this will solve the issue or simply delay animal euthanasia until the shelter becomes full. Even so this is a bracketed bill that deals with what is largely a social issue. We do not take positions on social issues, therefore we are neutral on this legislation.