New laws being considered by the Council could be important to the owners of Brookings pets like Belle.

City staff members are considering changes to Brookings animal control requirements, including limiting the number of pets citizens can keep at their residences.

While City Manager Jeff Weldon called most of the alterations minor, a few "significant policy changes" are planned as well.

One suggestion is to make it unlawful for any person or caretaker to have or keep more than four domestic pets over the age of 4 months (except birds and fish) on any lot or premises in the city.

The only planned exceptions to that rule would be for veterinarians and any person with a valid shelter or kennel license issued by the city.

While the number could change, Brookings Police Chief Bryan Gums said the four-animal limit was selected after reviewing animal control regulations of other communities in the state.

During last week's city council meeting, Councilor Mike Bartley had some questions about that number and how much time residents would have to get into compliance with the ordinance, if it's passed.

"If someone has three cats, two dogs and a pet parakeet, where are the limits? I understand that it's basically dogs and cats that the biggest problem with over four, but it's not unusual in this community to see a lot of people who have more than four cats."

Duane Walburg, head of the city's animal control, told the Register this week that he would not go door-todoor checking on residences to police the four-animal limit. The number of animals within households would be evaluated on a by- complaint basis, he explained.

Walburg said he deals with complaints of too many animals probably once a month, and a few cases in the past have been serious. A call about a year ago led to the discovery of 18 cats and one dog in a Normandy Village mobile home. Last fall he found 10 cats in one Volga home, and just last week he discovered 15 dogs in one backyard after a complaint of odors coming from the property. Limit numbers or face fines

In the past, residents with too many animals have been asked to get their pet numbers down or face fines for not having the animals vaccinated and registered with the city. Officials here are also suggesting that the city:

- Make it an offense to keep stray animals

- Make it an offense to leave pets unattended in vehicle in a manner that endangers the health of the animal (For example , leaving a pet in a hot, parked vehicle without proper ventilation to the point that the animal could die.)

- Make it a requirement for animals in vehicles that are parked in public areas to be confined to the vehicle (This change would prevent pet owners or caretakers from leaving large dogs unattended in the back of open-box pickup trucks where the animals can reach beyond the edge of the truck.)

The suggested ordinance includes a new section that deals with vicious or biting dogs. Once a pet has been declared a biting, dangerous or vicious animal by officials, the owner will have to register it with the city as such and follow certain regulations, like reporting how and where it's kept and its health and ownership status. Matter of safety

Gums told the Council last week that making it an offense to keep stray animals is a matter of safety.

"Just approximately a month ago, the south part of town there's a stray in town. "¦ The animal was diseased. I'm an animal lover, but I wouldn't have taken it in. I'm sure somebody else would have, and I think we're looking at health issues for that."

Bartley agreed that people who find stray animals should notify animal control so its health and vaccinations can be checked out and to give its owner a chance to reclaim it, but said residents should be allowed to eventually adopt the animals. They're great pets

"There are lot of stray animals that just need a good owner and end up on someone's doorstep, and they make great pets."

Walburg said the stray animal rule was designed because some people feed strays, especially cats, and in some instances doing so can create neighborhood problems.

The animal control officer said that most residents take care of pets, and when he does get calls about problems, 90 percent of the time the situations can be resolved by talking with owners. But the new ordinance gives Walburg or other animal control employees the authority to remove animals if needed. Weldon said he would make modifications to the ordinance and bring it back to a future meeting for the Council's consideration and first and second readings.

Contact Jill Fier at jfier@brookingsregister.com.