EDITORIAL:

When Congress was consid- ering Gerald Ford’s nomination as vice president he had a clever observation about the value of compromise.

“I believe in friendly compromise. I said over in the Senate hearings that truth is the glue that holds government together. Compromise is the oil that makes governments go.”

And while it looked like the path to compromise regarding the mandatory spay-neuter law in Huntington Beach crept along about as fast as an oil spill, it appears that City Council members are closer to a solution to the thorny issue.

As originally proposed, the law would have required all pet owners to spay or neuter their dogs and cats and have microchips inserted in them to better track the animals. Some critics called it typical nanny-state legislation. Breeders who market in show dogs had a good point: The ordinance would put them out of business. The proposal also offended the more libertarian of pet owners who just don’t like government burdening them with more rules and taxes.

But animal lovers who have to chase after the strays, shelter them and find new homes for them argued some sort of birth control was necessary.

So after hours of debate, City Council members hammered out guidelines for legislation they will consider next month. They want an ordinance that will offer discounted licenses for pet owners who volunteer to spay or neuter their pets. Those who don’t want to spay or neuter their pets will pay more.

There’s another truth about compromise: It never leaves everyone completely happy. There’s always some disappointment involved.

But that’s the best way to govern. The city can certainly achieve its goal of thinning the herd some while not putting show-dog owners out of business or offending those animal lovers who would like their beloved pets to breed some puppies or kittens. We encourage the council to continue on the road to compromise.