Mandatory Spay/Neuter Ordinances

Recently, many states and cities have either been discussing laws that require an individual to spay or neuter their cat or dog before a certain age. The city of Chicago is currently proposing such a law, which stipulates that a cat or dog must be sterilized by the age of six months. Exceptions to the law include "breeders," show dogs (and presumably show cats), and dogs or cats who, for health reasons, are unable to undergo the surgery. The goal of this act is to help curb the pet overpopulation problem that occurs just about everywhere in the country and others. However, a law like this will be difficult to enforce, and those that contribute the most to unhealthy and irresponsible dog and cat breeding practices will either simply not comply or be issued a breeders' permit, which would allow them to keep their cats or dogs intact. Therefore, I foresee a major problem with this act, and it's highly doubtful that it will alleviate the overpopulation problem in a beneficial way.
One potential effect I frequently think about in regards to laws like these is the long-term effect it will have on cats and dogs. Hypothetically, if states across the country all passed a similar ordinance to prevent or severely limit the reproduction of cats and dogs, someday in the future it may be likely that cats and dogs could become threatened species. And although people with breeders' licenses will still be breeding cats and dogs, that could create an unhealthy, limited gene pool, which is already a major problem in the breeding of purebred dogs today. The healthiest dogs out there are likely to come from a very mixed background, but it's those kind of dogs that are going to be prohibited from reproducing because of ordinances like these. People with breeding licenses are breeding purebred animals. And speaking of that, what will stop puppy mill breeders from getting a license? It's certainly true that many "breeders" pass USDA inspections whether or not they truly comply.
Also, the government should never mandate a surgical procedure. Even if your pet is a good candidate for surgery, it's still a surgery and has risks. Animals have died from spay and neuter complications. What happens when a person is forced by law to neuter their puppy, and then their puppy dies on the operating table? Will they be able to take legal action against the government? I have chosen for every one of my pets to be spayed or neutered. I would never want the government to tell me I had to do it, though. Another point to bring up is although spaying/neutering can create health benefits, such as prevention of testicular cancer (males) or a greatly decreased risk of mammary tumors (females), they also can create health problems. Some examples include greatly increased risk of hypothyroidism, obesity, orthopedic disorders, urinary incontinence (females), bone cancer, and increased risk of adverse reactions to vaccinations. Still think mandatory spaying/neutering is the fix-all of this problem? Many people don't realize that these surgeries have negative effects like those I listed above. I don't think I've ever been informed by a veterinarian or veterinary technician about these potential problems. And that's why the government shouldn't get involved in this manner. It's not fair to a pet guardian who wants to make an informed decision in regards to their pet's health. The government should not take that away.