At a recent Homer City Council meeting the council unanimously approved an ordinance that updates city code related to domestic animals.
The change is based on recommendations from the Sustainable Animal Control Review Committee.
The ordinance came to the assembly from the city manager and the police chief.
It revised code and adjusted fees and fines associated with the animal shelter, made modifications related to kennels and redefined an animal at-large, among other things.
Council member Donna Aderhold introduced an amendment to the ordinance that changed the tethering requirement for dogs and other animals in vehicles.
“The ordinance that came to us, specifically stated that animals needed to be tethered in the back of a vehicle through cross-tethering,” Aderhold said. “I suggested an amendment to that to make it a little bit more lenient. So that animals would remain completely within the back of a vehicle.”
One of Aderhold’s suggestions was to add the phrase “in a humane manner” to the ordinance, when speaking of preventing the animal from falling, jumping or being thrown from vehicles.
By humane manner, Aderhold means in a way that retains the animal’s front and hind legs within the vehicle, without harming the animal itself.
The ordinance makes it illegal to let an animal move about freely in the bed of a vehicle, or within the vehicle causing a distraction to the driver – for example having a dog sitting in a lap of a driver.
At the Aug. 22 regular Homer City Council meeting, Council Member Heath Smith said he was torn about the ordinance.
“I understand the concern, but I also understand ‘where do we draw the line on what we’re going to legislate and regulate?’” Smith said. “So anyway, I just would caution us not to over regulate in areas that maybe we don’t have any business regulating. And on the other hand, how is this going to get enforced?”
Law enforcement officers will enforce the code.
No one testified in a public hearing on the ordinance.
One resident submitted letters about it.
Aderhold believes that the leash requirement is what people will notice most from the new ordinance.
If your dog or other domesticated animal is not on your property, then it must now be on a leash, she said.
Fines for animals at large now range from $50 to $200.
If a law enforcement officer finds that your dog or other domesticated animal is loose in the back of your vehicle or interfering with your ability to operate the vehicle, then the fine per incident is now $75.
