Sacramento Bee:
Laddie Shows up a Barker

Captiol Bureau / Peter Hecht
Sacramento Bee
Jul 16, 2007

First off, it was a big week for Laddie the Lobbyist.

The ninth-generation offspring of Lassie, the world's most famous collie, Laddie came to a state Senate committee to show up retired game show host Bob Barker, who earlier barked up a bill to mandate spaying and neutering. So Laddie poignantly yawned on the plush Capitol carpet to lead the opposition.

Bill author Lloyd Levine, D-Van Nuys, complained about opponents stirring "fear and confusion." But the confusion may have been his own: The assemblyman's bill vowed civil penalties to fund "spay and neuter programs for low-income individuals."

Levine insisted he meant their pets. But he shelved the bill. Laddie got the last woof.