Council meetings are held at 6pm in Council Chambers at City Hall 2000 Main St. HB.
You are allowed 3 minutes to address council, if desired.

You may also email your comments to Council or send a letter to the above address.
You can fax your comments to 714-536-5233

February 4, 2008

Huntington Beach voted down the proposed licensing fee incentive ordinance. 6-0 (Bohr abstaining)
Council was not comfortable with the fee structure and costs and felt it would be difficult to enforce. Since HB laws were outdated, Council decided to codify the current Orange County fees that residents pay. They also added a condition that all pets advertised for sale or adoption must have a City Business License.

January 10, 2008

HB City Council is currently scheduled to give a final vote on the revised Spay/Neuter/Microchip Ordinance on Monday, February 4, 2008

September 4, 2007

Huntington Beach PASSES a Mandatory Spay/Neuter/Microchip Ordinance!  4 AYES, 3 NO

Councilmembers Green, Bohr, Coerper & Cook voted YES to have City Staff draft an ordinance to require ALL residents of HB to have their dogs and cats spayed or neutered and microchipped. The city is to come back in 1 year to report on success or failure and possibly include rabbits in the future. Unfortunately, there will be no more grant funding to Save Our Strays for their low cost spay and neuter and microchip program but this is a huge victory for the homeless animals dying within our shelter system.

This ordinance will still have to be voted upon in it's final form once presented to City Council by Staff. It is IMPERATIVE we all write/call/ or email the caring HB Councilmembers and offer our support. There is a very large, organized effort to get this new legislation defeated. Remember, mandatory spay/neuter/microchip is about homeless animals dying needlessly in our shelters. It is not about forcing licensed breeders, show handlers, law enforcement agencies, working dogs or responsible pet owners into altering what many call "their property". Animals should not be in the same category as our cars or furniture. They are living breathing creatures who share our homes and our lives. We simply must stand up and be a voice for those who can not speak!

If you would like to send your comments regarding this proposal to HB City Council, please send a letter to 2000 Main Street, Huntington Beach, CA 92648.  The general city council email address is: city.council@surfcity-hb.org

September 2, 2007

Council is to vote on whether to direct City Staff to draft a mandatory Spay/Neuter/Microchip Ordinance.

F-2. (City Council) Staff Report in Response to Council Direction of April 10, 2007 to Research the Costs and Other Issues Associated with Adopting a Mandatory Spay, Neuter and Microchip Indentification Program for Dogs and Cats.

Communication from the Chief of Police transmitting the following

Statement of Issue:  On April 10, 2007, the City Council directed staff to research the cost and other issues associated with adopting a Mandatory Spay, Neuter, and Microchip Identification Ordinance in the City of Huntington Beach.

The purpose of such an ordinance would be to reduce uncontrolled breeding of dogs and cats in the City of Huntington Beach.  Microchipping would provide a reliable method to identify pets for a successful owner reunification process.  Fewer stray and abandoned dogs and cats can improve public safety and reduce the euthanasia of strays picked up in Huntington Beach by the Orange County Animal Care Services (OCACS).  Although the primary goal of the ordinance would be to provide a more humane way of managing the City’s pet population, the ordinance would also reduce the strain on OCACS resources.

Funding Source:  There is no funding required for the recommended action.

Recommended Action:  Motion to:

Provide staff with direction regarding drafting an ordinance that requires spaying, neutering, and microchipping for dogs and cats.

Here is the link to the entire report by Police Chief Ken Small and important Shelter Statistics:

http://www.surfcity-hb.org/files/users/city_clerk/0904-F2.pdf

July 16, 2007

The proposal was tabled by Keith Bohr until the next budget session.
Here is the link to the entire proposal by Councilman Bohr and important Shelter FAQ:

http://www.ci.huntington-beach.ca.us/files/users/city_clerk/0416-H1a.pdf

Here is the link to the archived council meeting and public comments:

http://www.ci.huntington-beach.ca.us/files/users/city_clerk/48634.pdf

April 16, 2007

H. City Council/Redevelopment Agency Items

H-1a. (City Council) Submitted by Councilmember Keith Bohr – Direct Staff to Research the Costs and Other Issues Associated With Adopting a Mandatory Spay, Neuter and Microchip Ordinance.

Communication from Councilmember Keith Bohr transmitting the following

Statement of Issue:
Millions of dogs and cats are killed every year because not enough homes exist for these pets. Many of these are puppies and kittens -- the offspring of family pets. Pet overpopulation is a preventable problem that everyone can help solve simply by spaying or neutering his or her pets. Spaying and neutering is a safe surgical procedure performed by veterinarians that prevents animals from reproducing.

Orange County, as contracted to do on behalf of 21 Orange County cities, picked up 29,690 stray animals in 2006. Despite commendable efforts by the county to reunite these animals with their owners, or to adopt them out to new owners, the county still had to euthanize more than 12,000 dogs and cats in 2006.

The most cost effective method of reducing these numbers is to have the county and all cities adopt a “Mandatory Spay, Neuter and Microchip Ordinance,” which will dramatically reduce the number of cats and dogs produced and would increase the number of lost pets returned to their owners. That would minimize the numbers that are ultimately euthanized. In an effort to minimize the number of unwanted animals in Orange County and Huntington Beach specifically, I am making the following recommendation.

Recommended Action: Motion to:

Direct city staff to research the costs and other issues associated with adopting a Mandatory Spay, Neuter and Microchip Ordinance similar to the one adopted by the county of Los Angeles in 2006. It is my ultimate goal to adopt such an ordinance in Huntington Beach. However, I do understand that there are a number of issues, policies, procedures, and costs that must be determined before such an ordinance can be successfully drafted, adopted, and implemented.

April 15, 2007

Huntington Beach councilman Keith Bohr proposes study for Mandatory Spay/Neuter/Microchip ordinance within city limits. Council voted in favor: 5 Ayes, 1 No, Councilwoman Cook absent.

Unfortunately rabbits, the 3rd most popular household pet, were not originally included in this proposal. Still considered wild animals, domesticated rabbits are often dumped in city parks with the ill conceived notion they can fend for themselves. But thankfully, at the urging of Councilwoman Cathy Green, the City of Huntington Beach has included them in their recently proposed Spay/Neuter study. Big thanks to Councilman Keith Bohr for introducing this pressing issue to Council.