One would set up lifetime licenses for dogs and cats who are spayed and neutered.
Frederick, Md (KM) A number of changes are being proposed to Frederick County’s Animal Control Law, especially when it comes to licensing. “What we want to do with this is encourage spay-neuter,”: says Dave Luckenbaugh, the Director of Frederick County Animal Control. “If we can reduce unwanted litters, we believe we can eventually reduce the number that come into the shelter.”
Luckenbaugh, who spoke to the County Council on Tuesday, November 25th, said a new fee schedule for licenses is being proposed which would set up a lifetime license for those pet owners who get their dogs and cats spayed or neutered. “It makes it easier for the pet owner. So it’s not a yearly chore or requirement to update your pet. You can do it once. If you’ve owned that pet for a lifetime, it’s good for the rest of its life,” he says.
The new fee for a lifetime license for a dog or cat which is altered would be $25 under the proposed new fee schedule.
Luckenabaugh says another part of these proposed changes would encourage pet owners to keep their pets up to date on their vaccinations. “In Frederick County, we have a very high number of positive rabies specimens. We believe that is in part due to our vigilant surveillance program and the work of our Health Department. We test a lot of animals to make sure that our animals and our people in the county are safe,” he says.
Other changes would provide a discount for dog or cat licenses for citizens 65 over. It would be $10 for a dog or cat which is not spayed or neutered; $3 for a dog or cat that is spayed or neutered.
It would also change the definition of “dangerous dog” and “potentially dangerous dogs.” Luckenbaugh says dogs would be classified as “dangerous” if they bite one person multiple times, or bite multiple people. “Currently if all these injuries are less than severe. it stays a potentially dangerous,” he says. “But if we have a case where somebody is bitten and on the leg and on the arm and on the hip, on the stomach, we have multiple bites. it shows a lack of bite inhibition in the dog, and we would like the ability to deem that dog dangerous to show the seriousness of that incident.”
Changes to the law also would require those who own dogs classified as “dangerous” be required to notify the Animal Control within 48 hours after they change their address.
These changes were proposed by County Executive Jessica Fitzwater.
By Kevin McManus