Published Thursday, November 12, 2009 6:05 AM

CS may abolish limit on household pets

By CASSIE SMITH
cassie.smith@theeagle.com

A College Station committee working on an update to the city's animal control ordinance will hold its last public input session on the proposed changes Thursday.

The meeting will take place from 6:30 to 10 p.m. at the College Station Municipal Court.

One of the possible revisions to the ordinance would allow residents to own an unlimited number of animals. The current limit is four.

"The deal is, in some cases, one dog, horse, cat, whatever, may be too much for a specific situation, and more than four may be just fine in terms of the owners' ability to care for the animal" in other situations, said City Councilman James Massey, a member of the committee. "If you're able to keep five animals in your situation and they are well cared for and not creating a nuisance or problem for neighbors or others, we're advocating that should be OK."

The draft ordinance also addresses animal restraint, dangerous animals, standards of care, safe transport for animals and restrictions on unauthorized pet sales, such as those found in parking lots.

Massey said the ordinance hadn't been updated in more than nine years.

"It's time that we take a look at what's going on," he said.

The committee will make recommendations to the City Council on Nov. 23.

The draft ordinance also addresses feral cats, a problem that Massey said the city would continue to have.

Massey said the committee planned to recommend a feral cat management program to trap, neuter and return.

Residents play an important role in drafting the ordinance, Massey said, and their feedback is appreciated.

"We feel like we're trying to do the right thing and put something together and take it back to the citizens to see what they think," he said.

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