City Council amends its animal control rules

The Eureka City Council unanimously approved an amended version of its longstanding animal control ordinance, originally written in 1959, at its regular Tuesday night meeting. The new ordinance outlines comprehensive guidelines for responsible pet ownership through compliance with public safety, resident quality of life and base expectations of care and responsibility for owners. It also includes a provision requiring all cats to receive a rabies vaccination.

More specifically, the chapter being brought to discussion encompasses avenues for owning more domestic animals through a “fancier” license category, and animals not previously regulated such as miniature pigs and miniature goats.

It also includes clauses to hold owners accountable for their pets, defining what determines animals are a public nuisance, potentially dangerous or vicious. Corresponding sanctions for any pet and/or animal owner’s noncompliance include fines of up to $1,500 and a loss of any animal license privileges for up to five years.

An update to the animal control ordinance was first brought to council for study in 2019, with many comments being brought forward since. The council held a special meeting to discuss the incoming ordinance and to gather community input on March 9.

During Tuesday’s voting process, councilmember Katie Moulton proposed a friendly amendment to the ordinance to the section stating an animal control officer can at any time go into a person’s property to alleviate people’s concerns over officers entering private property.

Moulton’s suggestion was to include the words “if the complaint is made” to the front of each fancier’s license section allowing officers to enter property.

As clarified by EPD animal control officer Celeste Villareal, anyone interested in holding the fanciers’ license is agreeing officers can view the animals to insure the animals are in a good state.

“It’s an agreement in advance between the fancier’s license holder and the city saying that by getting the fanciers’ license, I’m agreeing that, yes, if there’s a welfare issue you can take a look at the animals.” she explained.