Really. And we're not kidding (The Moderate Voice is a pet owner, a Californian proudly voted for Arnold and will be sending him a highly expressive email, a letter and will leave a message at his office.) Not smart. Even if it makes business sense. We are outraged. Not happy. Not pleased.
UPDATE: Superb coverage of this political and (we feel) overall stupidity can be found here...as well as links to what you can do about it (either in opposition or support of it).
THIS JUST IN: Arnold tells the AP it was a mistake and he's sticking to the old rule:
- SACRAMENTO – Saying he made a mistake months ago that would have made it easier for shelters to kill stray dogs and cats, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Friday he has reinstated the state's six-day waiting period before lost animals could be killed.
As part of his budget proposal that was first drafted in December, the governor had asked the Legislature to repeal a 1998 law that requires the shelters to hold animals up to six days before destroying them. The governor wanted to save money by cutting the waiting period in half.
But after a nationwide storm of protest, the governor hastily organized a press conference outside his Capitol office and told reporters of his error.
"I realized last night that there was a mistake that I made on the budget," he explained, noting he only had a few weeks to put his proposed budget together between his inauguration in November and when the document went to the printers in December to meet the Jan. 10 deadline for delivery a spending plan to the Legislature.
The idea to cut the waiting period would have saved local governments that operate the shelters $14 million, according to the governor's office.....
(JG NOTE: The AP picked this up from an earlier version of their story) Despite Schwarzenegger's huge popularity, some political observers think he is stepping in the cat litter.
"There is no organized constituency of cats and dogs, but certainly the pet owners of America will find this reprehensible," said Barbara O'Connor, director of the Institute for the Study of Politics and Media at California State University, Sacramento. "Cats and dogs are like mom and apple pie," she said. "Don't mess with the pets. Most people prefer them to other people."
Truer words have never been spoken (especially in an election year.)
This is nothing new, republicans have been "killing" for years, this just spotlights the utter heartlessness and cruelty that is in their party.
Better idea, let the Chinatowns all over the state have first crack at the shelters. Need more flavor in the lo mein, plus the state would win from the sales tax generated.
Tim,
Arnold is a Kennedy democrat pretending he's a RINO.
He had to ask his wife, if he could run for Governor. She is a Kennedy democrat from that Kennedy family. He's no Ronald Reagan.
I think you might be right on this, Joe; personally, I don't see why we spend any money on strays beyond picking them up and killing them, but there is this over-sentimentality on that part of the people about stray dogs which makes this move by Schwarzenegger probably not the most astute.
Still, if its the worst mistake he makes, then he's got easy sailing to re-election.
I can understand the emotional response to this, "not the puppies!" But the money could be saved here, is not going to be going somewhere else if this isn't done. Who gets shorted? Homeless shelters, schools? And what of the backlog that is causing animals to be killed prior to the six days anyway, even when those animals are quite adoptable (cute little puppies and kitties)?
I'm curious to see what form the promised resistance to this will take. Will people spend time, effort, and money writing letters, making phone calls, making leaflets and staging protests? Or will they spend time, money and effort helping out the shelters, adopting animals, and educating people about spaying and neutering so that the killings will be less and less necessary?
Since 600,000 animals are killed each year in CA shelters already, I betting the letter writing and protests will be easier.
It's over. Gov. Schwarzenegger has withdrawn his support for the Dog Terminator Act.
Joe I understand why people are outraged. As one of the articles you linked said, Dogs and Cats are like Mom and Apple Pie here in the U.S.
I do not have an answer for this but I do feel Arnold will handle this with kid gloves. He will meet with animal rights groups and hopefully a better alternative will come about. Gosh, I bet Doris Day will have a lot of weight on this issue. She has a wonderful organization to help our strays. She left the Hollywood scene years ago and took up founding her organization.
I would hang in there and get behind a rational animal rights group such as Day's. Arnold and Maria are a good couple and I believe they truly balance one another. She is so very proud of her Dad and has deep roots in serving our communities. Her Dad put some great values in her. She shared her love for her Dad, Mr. Shriver while she was on a television talk show. Her Dad told her from the time she was a little girl that whenever she walked into a room people were blessed just having her presence. That is exactly how my Dad talked to me.
I really believe your new govenor will work this out ethically.
I'd bet the reason for his reversal is that he learned Glenn Reynolds prefers live puppies when making his smoothies...
I've got an idea. why don't everyone who's so all fired upset about this volunteer to house the animals for six days, thus saving the government even more money.
seriously, people. I love dogs (I tolerate cats), but this is ridiculous.
bryan,
You're right. This story by Sunday morning will be number ten on the list of non-story of the week.
How can you look at Arnold and say he is a RINO?
Rosie O'Donnell -- SHE'S a RINO.
Well, Arnold is either a RINO or Mrs. Schwarzenegger is a DINO. In either event I voted for Arnold. I think I voted for Marie as well.
Ask me if California is happy that Grey Davis isn't there any longer ?
Never mind, the answer is Yessssss.
Cat. Burlap sack. River.
How hard is this?
Killing a cat was punished by death in ancient Egypt. Cats are sacred to the Goddess Bast (also to the Norse Goddess Freya). And dogs are sacred to Anubis. I support that law. Eternal Egypt.
THIS IS THE EMAIL I SENT THE JERK WHEN HIS PROPOSAL HIT THE NEWS.....
TO SCHWARZENEGGER..
You're alienating a lot of voters for your re-election by animal lovers for trying to force a three-day only hold or kill policy on lost animals unfortunate to find themselves in the custody of a california shelter.
I have a plan that would alleviate the problem of having to destroy animals but it is going to be awhile before I and my partners can implement it. It will be called ANIMAL FARM USA and will consist of a huge expanse of land starting in Los Angeles County. It will have to be in a zoning area that will accommodate an animal sanctuary with businesses on the premises to generate the necessary revenue to keep the project open and functioning.
The businesses would be a 24-hour veterinary clinic with all services available including dentistry and specialists for various illnesses with a 24-hour emergency clinic and boarding facilities. A grooming service, a 24-hour cafe and coffee house. Also, an art gallery for local artisans and crafts people to display their art on consignment. Pet supplies, classes, seniors programs and teen programs, etc. There will be more businesses but too many to list here. The project is still in the development stages. Since this is going to take a lot of research, planning and permits, it may not be open for a year, but it is going to be a reality.
The idea for ANIMAL FARM USA is to take all the animals that are scheduled for euthansia to be sent to the FARM and they will have a chance to be rehabilited if they need it, taken care of until a home can be found or they can stay for the duration of their lives. The Los Angeles project will be a test to determine the feasibility of expansion to all the counties in California and then hopefully will expand across the nation. The farm will also be environmentally conscious with recycling and using recycled materials, feng-shui will play a part in the design of the buildings and gardens.
Governor Schwarzenegger, when I heard of your intentions, I was ready to chew you out for being so cold-hearted and opportunistic (which seems to be the way you've run your life), but I decided to approach the issue in a more civilized manner. You came this country dirt poor and planned a strategy that you visualized into reality. You've been lucky, mister...don't blow it. If you're going to cut back on services, why not cut back on the recidivists in our jails........the deadbeats who get out and keep committing crimes so they don't have to take responsibility for their lives.
The state of California is only about 85 bIllion dollars or more in in debt. Blaming the Governor for a problem generated by the current state legislature and former governor Mr. Gray Davis and the negligent actions of mindless animal owners seems slightly mis-directed. This whole story is predicated I suspect on the notion that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenneger is now live bait for the political attack machinery from every direction.
I work at an animal shelter, and I don't see where they could save any money killing the animals early. It's not as if they will have empty cages with no animals in them to feed, the moment a cage is emptied another animal comes in to take it's place. Where is the savings? Will they lay people off for a half a day while they're waiting for the next stray to come in? Will they return a half used bag of cat food? Besides just not liking the idea, I honestly don't understand exactly where the savings part would happen. I'm not sure I'm explaining my thoughts right, but basically any shelter is never going to be empty, so even if you kill off all of Monday's intake, you won't have an empty shelter sitting there, you'll still have Tuesday's intake, and Wednesday's, etc... so since it's an ever ongoing constant intake of animals, daily, even hourly, you never have any time where you don't have animals to feed, so if you kill little orange kitty and brown puppy today, tomorrow you still have to feed little calico kitty and black lab tomorrow. When do you get to put any money in the bank??