Proposed Tax on Pet Products
I cannot thank you enough for bringing to the attention of a seemingly indifferent, lazy and ignorant public and Legislature the profound tragedy and general wretchedness of the pet overpopulation problem!
It is true that the irresponsibility of pet owners as well as the greed of puppy-mill breeders, has contributed to the enormous waste of taxpayers’ money and animal cruelty that results in so-called animal “shelters” killing 10 million animals every year.
The greed of veterinarians is also to be added to the guilty equation, since they, as a body, fight to stop or curtail every humane effort to provide low or no-cost spay and neuter clinics from operating.
Legislators must bear the burden also, since they have thus far been indifferent to this problem. (Though I was pleased to see a small step in the right direction recently when L.A. County supervisors required licensing for backyard breeders!)
Yet this is a solvable problem, if self-interest can possibly be curtailed by veterinarians, breeders and irresponsible pet owners.
ELAINE LIVESEY-FASSEL
Los Angeles
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