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PROPOSED LEGISLATION <br /> <br />H i <br /> <br />GENEP. AL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA <br /> <br /> SESSION 1999 <br /> <br />HOUSE BILL 1491' <br /> <br />Short Title: Spay/Neuter Program. (Public) <br /> <br />Sponsors: Representatives Hill; Barefoot, Gibson, <br />Owens, Haire, Hurley, and Weiss. <br /> <br />Mitchell, <br /> <br />Referred to: Finance. <br /> <br />May 9, 2000 <br /> <br /> A BILL TO BE ENTITLED <br />AN ACT TO ESTABLISH A VOLUNTARILY FUNDED STATEWIDE SPAY/NEUTER <br /> PROGPJIM TO PROVIDE EDUCATION ON THE BENEFITS OF SPAYING AND <br /> NEUTERING PETS AIqD TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO . COUNTIES <br /> AND CITIES OFFERING LOW-INCOME PERSONS REDUCED-COST SPAY/NEUTER <br /> SERVICES FOR DOGS AArD CATS. <br />The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: <br /> Section 1. Chapter 19A of the General Statutes is <br />amended by adding a new Article to read: <br /> "ARTICLE 5. <br /> "Spay/Neuter Program. <br />"§ 19A-50. Legislative findin~s. <br /> The General Assembly finds that the uncontrolled breeding <br />of cats and dogs in the State has led to unacceptable numbers of <br />unwanted dogs, puppies and cats and kittens. These unwanted <br />animals become strays and constitute a public nuisance and a <br />public health hazard. The animals themselves suffer privation <br /> <br />and death, are impounded, and most are destroyed at great expense <br />to local governments. It is the intention of the General <br /> <br />Assembly to provide a voluntary means of funding a spay/neuter <br />program to provide financial assistance to local governments <br />offering low-income persons reduced-cost spay/neuter services for <br />their dogs and cats and to provide a statewide education program <br />on the benefits of spaying and neutering pets. <br />"~ 19A-$i. Spay/Neuter Program established. <br /> There is established in the Department of Health and <br />Human Services a statewide program to foster the spaying and <br />neutering of dogs and cats for the purpose of reducing the <br />population of unwanted animals in the State. The program shall <br />consist of the following components: <br /> (a) Education Program. -- The Department shall establish <br />a statewide program to educate the public about the benefits of <br />having cats and dogs spayed and neutered. The Department may <br />work cooperatively on the program with the North Carolina School <br />of Veterinary Medicine, other State agencies and departments, <br />county and city health departments and animal control agencies, <br />and statewide and local humane organizations. The Department may <br /> <br />employ outside consultants to assist with the education <br /> <br />program. <br /> (bi Local Spay/Neuter Assistance Program. -- The <br />Deoartment shall administer the Spay/Neuter Account established <br />in G.S. 19A-52. Monies deposited in the account shall be <br />available to reimburse etiqible counties and cities for the <br /> <br /> <br />