The Dog Trainer reports that the Dog Terminator is not to be.

The governor said that the plan to repeal the law prohibiting the destruction of animals for at least six days was a “mistake” made when he hastily put together his budget after taking office last year.

“That was an oversight of mine in December when we were trying to put the budget together in two seconds,” said Schwarzenegger, a self-described animal lover and the owner of three dogs: Sarge, Sammy and Spunky.

“And of course I grew up with every animal you can think of,” he said. “I’m an animal lover.”

The May Revisions to the Governor’s Budget (PDF) didn’t say word one about animal control issues, but between then and now, some idiot inserted a provision into the California Budget that would repeal all of the 1998 changes to California’s animal control law. Some of the proposed changes would help balance the budget some, others would have no budgetary impact, and others still – such as the repeal of the law requiring those convicted of animal cruelty to pay for the animal’s care while guilt is being determined- would actually exacerbate it. None of this stuff belongs in the budgetary debate, especially after having been smuggled in in the eleventh hour. The proposed changes include the following:

1. Ending the state’s policy preference of animal adoptions over euthanasia.
2. Abolishing the requirement that people convicted of animal cruelty bear the costs of the animal’s care while guilt is being determined.
3. Allowing parolees convicted of animal cruelty to own animals immediately upon release.
4. Removing the requirement that shelters use all currently acceptable methods of identification (e.g., microchips) to locate the owner of a seized or impounded animal.
5. Allowing shelters to euthanize animals turned in by their owners, without even attempting to adopt them out.
6. Ending the requirement that shelters be required to relinquish animals to non-profit rescue groups upon payment of the requisite fee. The Times article suggests that this law is unlikely to be repealed.

The budget is almost a done deal, so time is of the essence. Call your Assemblyman and State Senator now – and I do mean NOW – to register your opposition to this horrible bill. If you don’t have the names or phone numbers of your representatives handy, you can get them online by following this link and selecting “Find My District” on the side bar. Then call Arnold himself at (916) 445-2841 (Fax: (916) 445-4633) and email him at http://www.govmail.ca.gov/ to tell why even the legitimate issues with the Hayden bill – such as the unintended consequences of the six-day holding period – demand a serious debate of their own, and should therefore not be smuggled in to the budget debate.

After you call your Legislators and your Governor to register your opposition, you will then have more leisure time to read up on the idiocy you’ve just opposed. I’ve reproduced below an email Mrs. X received from Best Friends, and you can read more about this dreadful legislative sleight of hand at Yahoo! (h/t: Spoons), the Los Angeles Times and, allegedly (according to Sen. Ackerman’s assistant), somewhere in the Orange County Register.

UPDATE: Meanwhile, a friendly dog in Toronto just accomplished what Canadian gun laws could not: preventing a shooting rampage (h/t: Dean Esmay).

ANOTHER UPDATE: Joe Gandelman concurs.

FINAL UPDATE: It’s over. Gov. Schwarzenegger has admitted the error of his ways. Thanks to all who made it happen.

(more…)

Via Jessica’s Well (hat tip: Chadster):