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Aug 2, 2006 4:50 pm US/Pacific
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Measure Approved To Lower Rabbit Population
LOS ANGELES (CBS) ―
Multiplication just got harder for rabbits adopted from Los Angeles animal shelters. The City Council signed off Wednesday on a plan to nearly triple adoption fees for the cuddly creatures to ensure they are sterilized when they leave city shelters.
Under the plan, the $15 rabbit adoption fee will jump to $40 at the city's six animal shelters to coincide with rates charged by local nonprofit animal rescue agencies.
The Animal Services Department had asked that the fee be increased to $50, but the City Council's Budget and Finance Committee found that hike to be too drastic.
The current $15 adoption fee does not include spay or neutering services, but the proposed hike will include mandatory rabbit sterilization to keep the cotton-tailed animals from proliferating.
Animal Services officials said they hope the mandatory sterilization will reduce the number of unwanted rabbits that are euthanized, returned to shelters or dumped throughout the city.
Councilman Herb Wesson said he was surprised to learn, during a recent discussion with the city's new Animal Services director, Ed Boks, that some people purchase the rabbits for meals.
"People buy rabbits for 15 bucks and they cook them and eat them," Wesson said. "So, by increasing the price, you're hopeful that individuals are actually doing this because they want to have a pet."
The plan also falls in line with Boks' policy to implement a "no-kill" policy within five years at the city's animal shelters.
Part of that policy includes the spaying or neutering of adopted animals to control the pet population.
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa fired Boks' predecessor, Guerdon Stuckey, last December amid concerns that too many animals were being euthanized at the city's shelters.
In 2005, 386 rabbits were adopted from the city's shelters and 134 were euthanized, according to the Animal Services Department Web site. During the first six months of 2006, 269 rabbits were adopted and 141 were euthanized.
The new policy is consistent with other animal shelters throughout Southern California, including Los Angeles and San Diego counties, Burbank, Irvine, Mission Viejo, Pasadena and Pomona.
(© 2006 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)