City approves tougher dog shelter law
LANCASTER — City council voted Monday night to make dog sheltering laws in the city a little tougher
Under the proposed new ordinance, dog owners who leave their pets outside for extended periods of time will need to provide their pets with insulated shelter.
"I'm pleased with what they have done," said Fairfield Area Humane Society executive director Corey Schoonover. "It shows the public, our supporters and the people in the city that something can be done."
Schoonover approached the city council's zoning committee in April about tightening up the city's ordinance.
Councilwoman Becky Tener, R-6th Ward, who introduced the ordinance, said the changes were mainly "common sense" things that should be in the ordinance.
"When people call the Humane Society, often they can't do anything," Tener said. "With this, they will be able to do something."
On Monday night during a public hearing on the ordinance, Schoonover said the current city ordinance was patterned after the Ohio Revised Code and was too "gray" for enforcement purposes.
"About 80 percent of our animal neglect and abuse calls come from the city of Lancaster," Schoonover said. "When we would write a report and refer it to the city prosecutor's office, they could not pursue it."
Ray Michalski, an attorney who practices in Lancaster, urged council members to pass the ordinance, saying the current law was ambiguous.
Michalski said the current law would allow cardboard boxes to be acceptable shelters under the law and the changes would provide the Humane Society some guidelines to deal pet owners.
"If you can't take care of pets, then don't get them," Michalski said.
City Law director Randall Ullom said the changes in the new ordinance were meant to provide the city and humane society with a stronger enforcement mechanism.
"What we wanted to do is to have some specific language in city code that outlines the responsibilities of dog owners especially when dogs are left outside," Schoonover said.
The ordinance introduced to city council on Monday night specifically requires dog owners to make sure their animals have access to "clean, potable drinking water either free flowing or in a receptacle."
The water receptacle must also be "secured in a manner to prevent tipping," and that snow or ice is not an acceptable water source.
The animals need to be tethered or restrained in a manner that will not cause an injury or entanglement or allows the animal to cross the property line.
As for dog shelters, they must be "suitable for the species, age, condition, size and type of animal." It needs to be completely enclosed and insulated with one entrance with a "solid, moisture proof floor that is raised at least two inches from the ground."
The shelter must protect the animal from temperature extremes, precipitation and provide adequate ventilation or drainage.
Under the proposed ordinance, first-time violations would be considered first-degree misdemeanors with a second or more offenses being felonies.
During the hearing, only people who supported the ordinance spoke. No one who was against the ordinance voiced their opinion.
However, the vote by council was 8-1, with city councilman Mike Fracassa, R-2nd Ward, voting against it.
Fracassa prefaced his statement by saying he was the owner of a dog and a cat and loved pets, but he said he couldn't support the ordinance because it would make Lancaster a "guinea pig" for more restrictive legislation around central Ohio. He said he felt the current ordinance should provide the city with enough legal backing to deal with the problem.
"I just think this goes too far," Fracassa said.
The one outburst of applause from the approximately 35 people who attended the meeting came when Councilman Jon Hale, R-At Large, responded that he felt Lancaster shouldn't be referred to as a guinea pig, "but rather as a trailblazer."
cburnett@lancastereaglegazette.com
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Twitter: @CarlBurnettJr