DENVER — Don’t tell Fido, but a new law going into effect Jan. 1 requires all pets from pet shelters be neutered.
The law is one of 15 laws that go into effect on New Year’s Day.
Others include a law that increase penalties for drunk driving, require the state to provide a consumer guide for health care insurance, and requiring drivers to have at least $5,000 in insurance for medical coverage.
Under House Bill 1185, animal shelters and rescue groups must spay or neuter cats and dogs before turning them over to new owners, or the owners must promise to do so within 90 days.
Owners would have to leave a deposit and, if they fail to sterilize the animal, the shelters could take the animal back.
The bill applies only to pets going to new owners, not to dogs and cats being reclaimed by their owners.
Michaela DeGraw, spokeswoman for the Colorado Veterinary Medicine Association, said pet overpopulation is a serious problem statewide and the new law will reduce the number of animals that need to be euthanized.
She said the biggest concern is finding enough qualified vets in rural areas to provide the service.
“That’s one of the biggest concerns. A lot of vets are working with shelters.
We’re trying to find a way to make sure there isn’t a hardship,” she said.
Kristine Vourax, spokeswoman for the Dumb Friends League, said about 25,000 animals are adopted from shelters each year from the Denver metro area alone.
She said some shelters already require animals to be spayed or neutered before they’re adopted. Fees range from about $50 to $120 and can also include vaccinations. She said subsidized care is available for low-income clients.
The new law increasing penalties for drunk driving extends the length of time a driver’s license can be revoked or suspended to nine months for a first offense and two years for a third or subsequent offense.
It also allows a person whose license has been revoked for a first-time offense to seek a restricted license requiring an ignition interlock device after the license has been revoked for at least a month, and to be eligible for an unrestricted license if no violations have occurred for four months.
