Pet Public Choice: Special Interests or Rational Irrationality?

The City of Los Angeles has now passed a law forcing pets to be sterilized at four months of age. I guess it's about externalities from irresponsible pet owners and the horror over pets being euthanized (apparently it's better that they were never born in the first place). And not surprisingly, the law "offers exemptions for animals of licensed breeders, show animals and service animals." Sounds like a classic Bootlegger and Baptist story!

But wait. It turns out that the American Kennel Club, who is one of the largest potential "bootleggers" in this story, has been actively opposing the law. It appears that voter (and representative) irrationality beats out special interest explanations (unless, of course, there is a bigger special interest I am missing). Score one for Bryan Caplan.