California with all the Fixin's

You can file this under "Only in California" or "It's all a load of boll*cks" but it's true: California hopes to make it manadatory for pets in the Wackiest State in the Union, to get snipped starting April 1, 2008. It's no April fool, if you're a kitty with a uterus or a dog with all your boy parts, watch out: someone out there wants you.

There's a bill currently making its way through the California legislature that would force pet owners to neuter their pets or face a $500 fine. The June vote in the Assembly almost didn't make it, except for the help of - wait for it - Bob Barker. And at this point, I'm reduced (in tears of laughter, because frankly, it's too hilarious not to) to quoting the San Diego Union Tribune:

The legislation cleared the Assembly without a vote to spare, and was rescued only with the help of celebrity animal-lover Bob Barker, who made calls pleading with wavering Democrats on the same night he retired from the game show “The Price is Right.”

OK, there's a serious note here (it's a million dollar problem, with 800,000 cats and dogs dropped off at shelters every year), but really, there's got to be more to "fix" in California than unneutered pets.