Vicki
Administrator
Albany keeps 2-dog limit
By Cathy Ingalls
Albany Democrat-Herald
The ordinance includes exemptions, allowing up to four dogs in a household
At last, the debate about whether to limit the number of dogs allowed in an Albany household is over: The city council adopted a new ordinance Wednesday, keeping the two-dog limit that’s been in effect since the mid-1980s.
It took months of task force meetings, discussions with dog owners and presentations for the council to get to this point. The ordinance goes into effect in 30 days.
The ordinance includes exemptions, allowing up to four dogs in a household, or more if they are there temporarily and are licensed to someone who does not live there.
The exemption of up to four dogs would be available for a one-time $50 fee per household to anyone not convicted of an offense against animal regulations.
The new ordinance also requires that dogs be licensed with their county of residence.
In Linn County a licensed costs $25 or $15 if the dog is neutered or spayed. In Benton County it is $25 for an unaltered dog or $17 for a fixed one.
Before the final vote, Councilor Dick Olsen moved that a $100 assessment on top of any fine for a pet violation be removed from the ordinance. There was no second.
The assessment goes to the police department to help cover expenses associated with animal control. The department responds to an average of 1,200 such calls a year.
Councilor Floyd Collins proposed three exemptions that also failed. He requested language that specified that a service dog be permitted for each person in a household that needed one, and that service dogs in training be exempt as well as animals being fostered for a shelter.
Councilor Bill Coburn said that although the new ordinance didn’t change the two-dog limit now in place, it did remove the vexing portion that dealt with exemptions.
“No ordinance we adopt will keep everyone happy,†he said.
In October 2007, the council voted to allow people to have more than the allotted two adult dogs unless neighbors objected.
Exemptions were allowed if a pet owner got city manager approval, filed an application, paid a $50 fee per dog and got unanimous written permission from neighbors within 300 feet.
The application process resulted in many unanticipated problems and “caused needless churn and debate,†said City Manager Wes Hare.
“When I got here (in 2005) the two-dog limit was in place,†he said. “But then Councilor Olsen told me he didn’t like the law and we needed to lift the limits.â€
The debate on whether to limit dogs has been going off and on since then.
http://www.democratherald.com/articles/2009/07/09/news/local/4aaa02_twodogs070909.txt
By Cathy Ingalls
Albany Democrat-Herald
The ordinance includes exemptions, allowing up to four dogs in a household
At last, the debate about whether to limit the number of dogs allowed in an Albany household is over: The city council adopted a new ordinance Wednesday, keeping the two-dog limit that’s been in effect since the mid-1980s.
It took months of task force meetings, discussions with dog owners and presentations for the council to get to this point. The ordinance goes into effect in 30 days.
The ordinance includes exemptions, allowing up to four dogs in a household, or more if they are there temporarily and are licensed to someone who does not live there.
The exemption of up to four dogs would be available for a one-time $50 fee per household to anyone not convicted of an offense against animal regulations.
The new ordinance also requires that dogs be licensed with their county of residence.
In Linn County a licensed costs $25 or $15 if the dog is neutered or spayed. In Benton County it is $25 for an unaltered dog or $17 for a fixed one.
Before the final vote, Councilor Dick Olsen moved that a $100 assessment on top of any fine for a pet violation be removed from the ordinance. There was no second.
The assessment goes to the police department to help cover expenses associated with animal control. The department responds to an average of 1,200 such calls a year.
Councilor Floyd Collins proposed three exemptions that also failed. He requested language that specified that a service dog be permitted for each person in a household that needed one, and that service dogs in training be exempt as well as animals being fostered for a shelter.
Councilor Bill Coburn said that although the new ordinance didn’t change the two-dog limit now in place, it did remove the vexing portion that dealt with exemptions.
“No ordinance we adopt will keep everyone happy,†he said.
In October 2007, the council voted to allow people to have more than the allotted two adult dogs unless neighbors objected.
Exemptions were allowed if a pet owner got city manager approval, filed an application, paid a $50 fee per dog and got unanimous written permission from neighbors within 300 feet.
The application process resulted in many unanticipated problems and “caused needless churn and debate,†said City Manager Wes Hare.
“When I got here (in 2005) the two-dog limit was in place,†he said. “But then Councilor Olsen told me he didn’t like the law and we needed to lift the limits.â€
The debate on whether to limit dogs has been going off and on since then.
http://www.democratherald.com/articles/2009/07/09/news/local/4aaa02_twodogs070909.txt