The city of St. Louis is weighing a proposal that would require residents to spay, neuter and microchip their pets.
In an effort to relive overcrowding at shelters and reduce the stray population, an aldermanic committee granted initial approval to the bill last week, which would also ban area pet stores from selling dogs and cats.
The bill was introduced by Central West End Alderman Lyda Krewson. Aldermen also considered and ultimately rejected a proposal to give $250,000 in tax payer donations to Stray Rescue, the nonprofit dog shelter run by Randy Grim. Stray Rescue is the city’s only official dog shelter so the refusal to fund it is perplexing.
Grim was not happy: current construction at the shelter could be suspended or substantially delayed, and he said he may have to stop answering residents’ calls for assistance with loose animals. That would be especially bad news for the city’s stray population given Grim’s substantial efforts to date.
