Longview mulls pet limit ordinance

LONGVIEW, Wash. -  The City of Longview is considering putting a cap on how many animals people can have in their homes and the proposed rules have some people barking mad.

But animal control officers say they are being overwhelmed with animal welfare cases involving large numbers of pets.

The proposed ordinance would regulate pets depending on what kind of home the owner has and also how much room the pets would have.

For example, with pet owners living in an apartment or duplex the ordinance limits them to either three cats, three dogs, three ferrets or two pot belly pigs.
    
Single-family homes could house up to four animals. If the property has a lot of land, more pets could be allowed, depending on the acreage.

Some pet owners are upset that the city could have a say when it comes to their pets.

Roxanne Ponn lives in Longview is against the idea. She hashas four dogs and a cat. She also feeds about a dozen stray cats in the neighborhood.

"I totally believe people should not be abandoning their animals,” Ponn said. “Here, I’m taking on a cost I shouldn't have to" to feed the strays she cares for.

Animal control officer Mike Nicholson with the Cowlitz County Humane Society says they are overwhelmed and just trying to get a handle on a bigger problem.

The proposed city ordinance would mean that just the five animals living inside of Ponn’s home would be enough to be have her facing misdemeanor charges.

"I don't have a criminal record, much less a parking ticket," Ponn told KATU News.

Another resident, Meg Chapman, out for walk with her husband and their two dogs, agrees with Ponn. Besides the two dogs, the Chapmans also have three cats and disagree with the proposed limits.

"They’re our kids, we take care of them,” Chapman said. “We're responsible pet owners, we could responsibly take care of six dogs if we wanted to. We would never want to - but we could do it."

Chapman called the proposed ordinance “ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous."

Oppontents say they don’t believe the city should have a say when it comes to their animals and should focus their animal control efforts on more serious problems.

"The city should investigate more of where they think the hoarding [of animals] is and not the general public," Chapman's husband added.

Back at the Cowlitz County Humane Society, Mike Nicholson said he is behind on cases the Chapmans said should have priority and can only enforce licensing.

"I have right now, 12 cases," he said, "I’m overloaded with calls coming in, people yelling, screaming at me to do something.”

Nicholson said their focus, when available, is on resolving cases involving 20, 30 or 40 animals in a home.

The Cowlitz County Humane Society says the Longview ordinance would be similar to one already in place in Woodland, Wash. The Longview ordinance hasn't passed yet and animal control officials say it's still a work in progress and could change.

Many people have asked about a grandfather clause for pets they already have and while Nicholson didn’t have a clear answer now, he said the ordinance could still change.