ANIMAL BREEDERS BATTLE MEASURE; PROPOSAL TO HIKE FEES RAISES DANDER AT HEARING.

Byline: Rick Orlov Staff Writer

Animal breeders lashed Monday against a proposed city law to hike fees for breeders and those who own unaltered dogs and cats, saying it would do little to prevent backyard breeders from continuing to flourish.

``This does nothing about the puppy mills that sell to pet stores who will sell to anyone,'' said golden retriever breeder Jane Jensen. ``This is aimed at the wrong people.''

In an often emotional three-hour public hearing, some speakers railed at the city Animal Services Commission for failing to do more to enforce the city's current leash and breeding laws while others said tougher laws are desperately needed.

``We would love to be able to do more, but it's a question of money,'' Commissioner Kathleen Riordan, daughter of Mayor Richard Riordan, told the crowd of more than 100 people at the City Hall hearing.

The hearing was the first of six to be held on the measure. Two hearings have been scheduled for the San Fernando Valley, with one for Aug. 26 at the Granada Hills Public Library and a second on Sept. 6 at a site to be announced in the East Valley.

Commission President Al Avila took note of the increases in this year's budget, which will add some 26 Animal Regulation officers. Even more are needed, he added.

``I would like to see you camp out with the City Council when our budget comes up,'' Avila told members of the audience.

At issue is a city proposal that would require spaying or neutering all dogs and cats that are 4 months old. Owners of unaltered pets would have to pay for a $100-a-year permit while breeders would pay for an additional permit costing $200 a year.

Several breeders and members of kennel clubs protested the increases and questioned whether they would be effective since the city is now unable to enforce laws already on the books.

Jensen of the Golden Retriever Club of Greater Los Angeles said the measure will drive the breeders of show animals out of business.

``Without reputable breeders, all of Los Angeles will be forced to buy unhealthy pets,'' she said.

Several others argued that breeders - even those who sell the animals - collect little if any profit, with the money raised going into the care and feeding of their animals.

In addition, they complained the law would hurt those who participate in organized shows since the American Kennel Club requires that animals be unaltered.

But animal advocates praised the idea as a means of reducing the number of strays that must be put to death every year. Bill Dyer of the group In Defense of Animals pledged to report violators personally.

``Last year, 46,804 cats and dogs were killed in Los Angeles,'' Dyer said. ``This is a national disgrace. People are asking how this will be enforced. It is going to be enforced by people like me and thousands of others who care about companion animals.''

Pat Connelly, an aide to former state Sen. Herschel Rosenthal, cited a fiscal study he conducted of the proposal.

``This is a $1 billion-a-year-industry with the state losing $80 million in sales tax revenue,'' Connelly said. ``This is an untaxed, unreported cash industry that causes more breeding and selling.

``You will hear claims from breeders that they are hobbyists who do this out of love for animals and make no money. The fact is breeding is an industry and a profitable one at that.''

Animal Services Director Dan Knapp said there are only nine licensed breeders in the city but he believes, based on studies of newspaper advertisements, that more than 1,200 breeders are operating in the immediate area.

Knapp also acknowledged other problems the city faces, with only about 20 percent of all dogs in the city having licenses and a wild cat population of some 2 million animals.

Mayor Riordan and the City Council, after several years of debating the issue, managed to increase the Animal Services budget this year to hire more officers who will focus on rounding up wild cats and dogs.