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Abilene public raises concerns as council holds first reading of spay-and-neuter ordinance
Summary
The Abilene City Council held the first reading of an ordinance that would require dogs and cats older than six months to be spayed or neutered. Residents and breeders urged changes, and council members emphasized this is an initial public hearing with a second hearing scheduled in two weeks.
The Abilene City Council on Feb. 14 took the first public step toward a citywide ordinance that would require spaying or neutering of dogs and cats older than six months, drawing multiple speakers during the public-comment period who urged the council to revise the measure before a final vote.
The first reading is an initial step in the ordinance process, Mayor Hart said during the meeting: “This is where you start the process that gives us 2 weeks to do a deep dive into it. So what we do today is not what's gonna—this is not the final vote on this.”
Why it matters: supporters of the ordinance say stricter rules are meant to reduce shelter intake and the local shelter’s overcrowding;…
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