The mayor's lactating exception
But the shelter is doing abortions again.
Last week City Council finally approved an ordinance that mostly rolled back Austin's anti-abortion law for stray cats and dogs. And yet, somehow, Mayor Kirk Watson convinced a majority of Council to keep in place part of this beyond-parody policy.
As a result of the ordinance authored by CM Krista Laine, veterinarians at the Austin Animal Center will mostly have the authority to spay pregnant animals admitted to the shelter. They will finally be able to do something that is supported by mainstream veterinary organizations but vehemently opposed by Austin Pets Alive!, the influential fringe animal rights group that insists, contra all evidence, that pet abortion is inhumane and that there is no such thing as pet overpopulation.
(To get the full context of APA!'s influence on city government, read my article from last year)
Mayor Kirk Watson, however, succeeded in adding an amendment to the ordinance that will still require the shelter to offer APA! the chance to take any "lactating" animals before they can be spayed.
Huh?
