Spay/neuter ordinance postponed

Though some may have been impressed with the quick turnaround on the spay/neuter ordinance that came out of the resolution approved last week, that pace slowed back down to a more recognizably bureaucratic speed Thursday. City Council members voted to postpone the item to their Dec. 8 meeting in order to give people time to think over three amendments added during last week’s approval. According to the Austin Monitor’s report, those changes “allow for exceptions if the animal could be harmed by the surgery because of age or health conditions, if the pet owner objects to the surgery up to three days after the animal has been impounded, or if the animal shelter is at or beyond capacity and the surgery would require that the animal stay overnight.” The postponement passed in a vote of 7-4, with Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo and Council members Delia Garza, Leslie Pool and Sheri Gallo voting in opposition.