Agenda - 12-01-2008 - 4a - Laserfiche WebLink

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16 1 square foot area to run around outside. If her dog were put inside, she would have less than 2 1,000 square feet to run around. 3 Brian Fee said that he was at the meeting in May and he is not a dog breeder and he is 4 not an animal activist. He said that his dog is humanely tethered during the day. He is also the 5 owner of the dog that Melissa Fee spoke about. The dog is spayed and she has had her shots. 6 He said that the proposed amendment is not in the best interest of dogs. He also questions the 7 enforcement of this ordinance. 8 Suzanne Roy said that Orange County is clearly ready for change and she urged the 9 County Commissioners to pass this ordinance. 10 Steve Yuhasz said that he looked at the numbers of cruelty complaints and fewer than 11 10% involved tethering. He said that this is a solution in search of a problem. He thinks that 12 this will work a great hardship on a lot of people who have dogs and who keep them tethered, 13 who need to keep them tethered during the day while they are at work, and who treat their dogs 14 humanely. He asked the County Commissioners to not adopt the ordinance amendment. 15 Tim Wright said that there are no facts in the abstract or background information and 16 data is extremely limited. He said that this recommendation is based on opinions. He said that 17 there is already an ordinance on neglect. 18 19 Commissioner Foushee said that she is not supportive of this recommendation mainly 20 for the reasons expressed by Mr. Fee and because she had a dog before that was tethered and 21 he was treated humanely. She cannot support this recommendation as written. 22 Commissioner Nelson said that he is supportive of this ordinance, and the committee 23 that did this report did a lot of research and it asked a lot of questions from other counties that 24 had enacted this. A lot of compromises were incorporated into this recommendation as well. 25 Commissioner Carey said that he recognized the compromises and nothing the Board 26 does on this issue will satisfy everyone. He supports the recommendation. 27 Commissioner Gordon said that there are genuine differences of opinion and it is not an 28 easy call. She said, based on the recommendations and the arguments, that the 29 recommendation by the committee bears support. She said that enforcement will be based on 30 complaints. 31 Chair Jacobs said that he sees a lot of heartfelt and convincing arguments on both 32 sides. He would like to strike the whole section about kennels, which is section L. He thinks 33 that there is enough change and the talk about kennels does not belong in this ordinance. He 34 would also like to build in a review in 18 months to see how it is working. He also wants to help 35 citizens find viable options to tethering to help them keep their animals. 36 A motion was made by Chair Jacobs, seconded by Commissioner Nelson to approve 37 the proposed ordinance amendment on the tethering of dogs, striking section L, Regulating the 38 Size of Enclosures for Animals. 39 Geof Gledhill said that the 18-month feedback should not be in the ordinance, but just 40 direction to staff. 41 Discussion ensued about the timing of the 18-month feedback because of the phasing 42 in of the public education and implementation. 43 The staff will come back with a review within 24 months. 44 45 VOTE: Ayes, 4; No, 1 (Commissioner Foushee) 46 47 Geof Gledhill said that this will come back for a second reading on the 18th because it 48 was not a unanimous vote. 49 Chair Jacobs asked that a timetable and plan for the review come back on the 18th also. 50