Legislators: Have your pet spayed or neutered

State legislators Tuesday approved a bill that would allow towns and cities to spay or neuter every animal they bring in and charge the family that adopts the pet for the procedure.

“This is best practice… This bill takes a proactive approach,” Rep. Linda M. Gentile, D-Ansonia, said before the House overwhelmingly approved the bill.

Only about 60 percent of the nearly 3,000 dogs adopted from shelters in Connecticut are neutered, leading to too many homeless dogs lingering in shelters, Gentile said.

The bill now heads to the Senate for final passage.