California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is once again trying to reduce the shelter holding period for strays from 4 or 6 days to 3.

Under the governor's proposal for reducing the state deficit, stray animals could be euthanized after 3 days.

The requirement that public shelters hold strays for 4 or 6 days depending on the shelter's size, was passed in 1997 as part of an effort called Hayden Law, to give owners more time to find their pets and also allow animals to be adopted. Gov. Schwarzenegger tried in 2004 to reduce the holding period until angry voters put a stop to that plan. 

The Humane Society of the United States reports that the governor's latest effort will only result in .1% reduction in the state's $24 billion deficit. Not to mention all the lives that will be lost.

The state budget conference committee is meeting now to decide this issue. There is no time to waste. Here's what you can do:

Email, fax or call Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and urge him not to use the budget deficit as an excuse to increase the numbers of animals euthanized in shelters. Urge him to support Hayden Law.  

Find California legislators here including your own if you live in the state, and write (faxes are best) or call and urge them to oppose a reduction in the Hayden law holding period for shelter animals. 

For more on the Hayden Law, read Animal Law Coalition's report below.  

The Hayden Law consists of a number of amendments to various laws. These amendments are designed to reduce shelter euthanasia rates throughout the state, encourage owner redemption and adoptions and improve the treatment of animals. In passing this law, the state proposed to end the euthanasia of adoptable and treatable animals by 2010. Civil Code § 1834.4. CA Food & Agr. Code §17005, CA Penal Code §599d

To that end under the law shelters are generally required to hold dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, pot-bellied pigs, birds, lizards, snakes, turtles, or tortoises for 6 business days before euthanizing them.

A smaller shelter that has made the animals available by appointment or one that has been open for redemption or adoption one evening or one weekend day, is only required to hold them for 4 business days. CA Food & Agr. Code §§ 31108, 31752, 31753.

The Hayden Law also mandates that instead of killing stray animals, public shelters or agencies must release them to any 501c(3) non-profit group that requests them. CA Food & Agr. Code §31752

Shelters must also take steps to verify whether a cat is actually feral or simply frightened. If a cat is determined by a standard protocol to be feral, it may be euthanized after 3 days unless there is a request from a 501c(3) non-profit group to take it. CA Food & Agr. Code §31752.5.

Under the Hayden Law shelters are required to assist owners in finding or placing lost animals by: (1) allowing people the ability to list the animals they have lost or found on "Lost and Found" lists maintained by the pound or shelter; (2) referring them to animals listed that may be the animals the owners or finders have lost or found; (3) providing people with the telephone numbers and addresses of other pounds and shelters in the same vicinity, (4) advising as to means of publishing and disseminating information regarding lost animals, and (5) providing the telephone numbers and addresses of volunteer groups that may be of assistance in locating lost animals. CA Food & Agr. Code §32001

Recordkeeping is also an important component of the Hayden Law. The records must include (a) the date the animal was taken up, medically treated, euthanized, or impounded; (b) the circumstances under which the animal was taken up, medically treated, euthanized, or impounded; (c) the names of the personnel who took up, medically treated, euthanized, or impounded the animal; (d) a description of any medical treatment provided to the animal and the name of the veterinarian of record, and (e) the final disposition of the animal, including the name of the person who euthanized the animal or the name and address of the adopting party. These records must be maintained for three years after the last date of the animal's impoundment. CA Food & Agr. Code §32003

Other provisions of the Hayden Law require humane care and treatment of animals held by shelters including necessary veterinary care.