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Pet Advocates Decry Cuts To Animal Shelters

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Pet advocates are fighting like cats and dogs to stop a deficit-slashing proposal from Gov. Jerry Brown that aims to save $23 million by ending reimbursements to animal shelters for the cost of keeping strays alive.

Brown wants to repeal parts of Hayden's Law that require the state to pay for such expenses as food, vet care and kitty litter and require shelters to hold lost and stray animals for six days instead of three.

Pet advocates say the change will send the state back to the dark ages when a wandering dog caught Friday could be dead Monday.

Thousands of pet owners and animal welfare groups across the country have lined up to fight the repeal, saying it would lead to countless animal deaths — not just canine and felines.

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press)

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