Nanny State Loses A Round In Cali

At last, one on the side of the people—though in this case, that's dogs, cats and hamsters. The San Francisco Commission of Animal Control and Welfare came up with one of the most ludicrous nanny state ordinances I've heard yet: to ban the sale of pets (except fish) throughout the city.

The reasoning, as usual, was to punish everyone for the misdeeds of a few. Supporters said animal shelters are overrun by people who buy hamsters, parrots, snakes and other animals from pet stores on impulse, then regret the purchase. So let's pass a law!

Remarkably, the issue's roots came from, uh, hamsters. The rodents are the No. 1 animal euthanized at the city's shelter, said San Francisco Animal Care and Control director Rebecca Katz. They just tossed in every other pet for good measure.

Thank god, after hours of idiotic discussion, the measure was tabled, allowing pet stores to continue counseling new owners and offering rescue animals for adoption. The alternative: cross city lines or go to classified ads like Craigslist. Yeah, that's responsible.

Mind you, our Kirby is a rescue. I certainly support adoption of pets—but more so, I support freedom of lawful choice.