Animal Ordinance Approved at City Council
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If you’re an animal breeder, or have a business where you own more than five dogs or cats, you will soon be charged a fee.
City leaders say they need money to offset administration costs – – and to help get the stray animal problem under control.
An ordinance to amend Montgomery’s animal control policy was debated at length during Tuesday night’s city council meeting. Initially, the amendments would have required anyone with five or more dogs or cats to be licensed, meaning they would have to get a permit and pay a $20 fee. But not everyone was in favor of the proposed changes.
“There’s no inherently moral ethical or humane issue involved with or associated with owning five pets,” says veterinarian Eric Lewis. “And as a veterinarian, I can speak to that.”
Sharon Demuth says she owns cats and says limiting the number of pets someone has won’t stop other problems.
“If you’ve got a barking dog, you’ve got a roaming dog, you’ve got a vicious dog, then put things in place that address those particular issues.”
After hearing several complaints, Councilman Jon Dow, who sponsored the ordinance, revised it.
“Initially we had it if you were a resident having your own pet and that pet had more than five litters, you would be in violation and you would have to go get a special permit and a fee of twenty dollars,” he explains. “Well, we took that out of the ‘residence,’ and we just made it applicable to the businesses and those who are breeding and doing this as a business.
Councilman Richard Bollinger, who supported to revised ordinance, says he hopes money from the fees will help animal control, which is currently understaffed.
“When they’re out in the field to have a little bit more power to do the right thing to enforce this so that people that are out there with animals or people who are just walking in the neighborhood can feel safe. “
The council also voted to increase the vicious dog fee, moving it from ten dollars to 100 dollars. A vicious dog is any dog actually deemed vicious by the courts.
