Pet licensing mandate gets mixed reviews from owners

Veterinarian Dr. Chuck Holz clamps a city license tag to the color of Angel, a Siberian husky, as part of a newly mandated city ordinance which requires dogs and cats in Le Mars to have identification tags. [Click to enlarge]

Her owner Roxanne Langwell is willing to do whatever it takes to keep Angel and her two other dogs safe.

That now includes a dog license tag required by the City of Le Mars, effective Jan. 1.

"It's all right. If my dog gets loose, they can find her," Langwell said. "They can get her back to me faster."

Angel didn't seem to care one way or the other last Thursday as Veterinarian Dr. Chuck Holz, of the Le Mars Veterinary Clinic, used a pliers to fasten the new license to her collar.

"My dogs mean a lot to me," Langwell said. "I want them back as soon as possible."

Le Mars resident Kathy Faber, who has one dog and one cat, shared similar thoughts.

"I think it's great, and I plan to abide by the licensing," Faber said. "It's something that needs to be done. It helps owners. It helps pets."

Some pet owners have opposite feelings concerning the new city licensing. One dog and cat owner said he thinks the new ordinance is "ridiculous" especially for his cats that never leave home unless in a pet carrier.

That pet owner, who preferred to remain anonymous, said he thinks licensing is just a way for the city to find money to fund a position.

Ken Nelson, Le Mars City councilman, said income from the dog and cat licensing could make it possible for the council to consider re-hiring an animal control officer.

That person was cut from the city's budget because there was never enough money in the fund to pay for expenses. The city has to pay for animals brought in by the police, pay for housing those animals and the vet clinics and sometimes pay euthanization costs, Nelson said.

Because the new licenses are outfitted with a serial number, specific to each animal, an animal control officer or anyone that finds the dog or cat will immediately know who owns it, Nelson said.

"That should cut down on boarding fees," he said. "It's actually an efficient way to return pets home to their owners."

Bill Cole, Le Mars city administrator, said that while the licensing income could in the future be used to pay for an animal control officer, that's not the main reason for it.

"The No. 1 purpose is get these pets back with their owners," Cole said. "If the animal has a tag, it makes them much easier to get back together."

Pet owners have until the end of February to comply with the new ordinance this first year, but in subsequent years the renewal date will be Jan. 31, Cole said.

"They really need to get it done in January or February," he said. "They just have to show proof of vaccinations."

After that due date, pets found wandering without the proper licenses, could mean fines of $25 for owners plus any boarding fees. Owners will also have to show proof of up-to-date vaccinations before their animals will be returned, Cole said.

The licensing fees vary depending on whether customers choose a one-year silver or three-year blue metal license and whether their pet is spayed or neutered.

A one-year license for a spayed or neutered animal is $6 while the same license costs $12 for non-spayed or neutered. The three-year license fee is $15 for spayed and neutered and $30 for not.

Nelson said the city purchased the dog tags and receives all but $1 of the income, which the veterinary clinics keep for bookkeeping.

Despite conflicted feelings, people are obeying the new ordinance.

At Town and Country Veterinary Clinic, in Le Mars, in the last couple of weeks about 60 licenses have been done, and between 150 to 200 have been done at Le Mars Veterinary Clinic.

Dr. John Conley, veterinarian at Town and Country, said he hasn't heard many complaints, but those he has have come from cat owners.

"Cats, most people will not put them on," Conley said. "They will be put in a drawer or shelf and lose them."

He said with the specific identification numbers on the licenses, it will be easier to determine which veterinary clinic each animal was registered through and track down pet owners.

But he also sees a few kinks in the system.

"As we go along between the city and the two veterinary clinics in the city we are going to have to work the bugs out," Conley said.

Nikki Sharp, assistant veterinarian at Le Mars Veterinary Clinic, said the pet licensing program does mean a little more work for them, but she sees it as a positive.

"It just make it easier to find their way home," Sharp said. "If we have a lost dog, we just punch in their number."

Nelson added that as a city councilman he's heard surprise from newcomers to Le Mars when they learned the city didn't already have a pet licensing system.

"There aren't too many towns that don't have a licensing system," Nelson said.

Many pet owners like Faber are in agreement that the new system is a good idea.

"I think the fees they have gone with are reasonable," Faber said. "I just think it's a good way for people to be more responsible for their pets."