Buddy originally uploaded by Aaron Landry
According to the Star Tribune, while investigating the whole owning chickens issue, one of the Burnsville City Council members realized that he was in violation of a city animal ordinance and didn’t vote because he didn’t want to muddy the waters any. This Burnsville ordinance basically states that if you own more than two dogs you must apply for a kennel license to keep them. Because people like to own those little fucking rat dogs they feel that this may be a bit outdated. So, in the mean time, he still owns three dogs and hasn’t purchased a kennel license because the rest of the city council decided that it would be ok for animal control to ignore the ordinance for now until they can decide the fate of all households who own more than two dogs — probably because one of their own needed protection. As if ignorance of the law is any fucking excuse.
Being that Burnsville has this ordinance, I went to all of the other surrounding city’s websites and dug up their animal ordinances and license application forms (where applicable). Just to provide my usual public service, I have linked to them all for you here (Apple Valley, Eagan, Farmington, Lakeville, Rosemount, Savage).
So, I want to know how many of you out there are in violation of your local ordinances regarding licensure. Perhaps you own more than two dogs or you don’t have your animals licensed per city regulation. The Star Tribune article said that the city staff made calls to see how many people owned more than two dogs and were surprised at how many did and were “unknowingly” in violation of the ordinance.
So, being that this is an anonymous poll, feel free to vote without the worry for reprisal — plus, even if I did know who you were I wouldn’t tell on you anyway :-) After you vote, please let us know what you think about these ordinances either about owning chickens or the rules governing the licensure of animals or limits on the number of dogs/cats you can own. I’m really interested in knowing if others have a problem with any of these limits or rules.
Are Your Animals Licensed Properly?
- No (38.0%, 10 Votes)
- N/A (35.0%, 9 Votes)
- Yes (27.0%, 7 Votes)
Total Voters: 26
Loading ...And after that, be sure to check out our expired polls in the archive or read through the previous posts about polls here.
So, comment on, I’d love to hear what you have to say!
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January 12th, 2009 at 11:32 am
I read Eagan’s rules and it only talks about dogs, so I’m assuming (ignorantly) that owning two cats is OK. They’re not licensed. Only one of them has been to the vet in the past 5 years. A quick browse of Eagan’s website doesn’t seem to mention cats, so I think we’re in the clear.
Oh, and we own about 11 fish. I hope we don’t have to register as a farm. :)
We happen to live in a townhome community that has much stricter rules about pets than the city. That definitely helps. I’m glad none of my neighbors have loud dogs, or more than 2.
I do think that licensing rules are good, and rules that are truly in place for the safety of citizens (I’ll let someone else decide if it’s really a safety issue for someone to own chickens within city limits) or deal with good neighbor issues (like loud barking dogs at midnight).
What I’m not cool with is a member of city council knowingly violating city law. Glad I’m not a Burnsville-ite (Burnsvillian?). Boo on that.
January 12th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
Mmmmmm – yeah – this whole dog thing is really an emotional issue – gets people all stirred up, and then they quit thinking and only start reacting. I for one, am not a dog owner – actually, now that I look around, I don’t have any pets. I do have a few thoughts though –
Go ahead and own your dog – just keep it out of my yard, where as we all know little piles can appear; Stop its damn yipping, too –
One of my true hot buttons is, I’m a runner – and when I pass you on the trails, you don’t have your damn dog leashed (might be another interesting poll – how many consistently walk their dog(s) in violation of the existing leash laws in the community?) and then you yell – “He wont bite!” – and the dog is charging, full tilt, at me and all I have protecting me is a micro-thin, moisture wicking, all weather spandex thingy. Geez! You know that the dog won’t bite, and now you’ve told me that the dog won’t bite, but DOES THE DAMN DOG KNOW THAT IT WON’T BITE?!!!!!!!!
Yeah – dog poop on the trails also irritates the hell out of me.
But really, I don’t have a problem with people owning dogs, just remember that they are a little like kids – No one thinks your dog is quite as cute and adorable or smart as you do!
Cheers, Irving
January 12th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
I know this is off-topic but Irving, your running story really hit home. Yesterday afternoon I was cross-country skiing at Alimagnet Park where they have a wonderful, ENORMOUS, fully-enclosed off-leash dog park. As I’m nearing the bottom of a fairly steep hill with a curve at the bottom, a big, black dog comes sprinting at me full bore. Honestly, I suck at cross-country skiing and this was my first time on skis in five years. It was a miracle I kept my composure and didn’t crash into a tree.
The owner can thank his lucky stars that (a) His dog didn’t bite me as I came up on it really fast; (b) I didn’t crash; (c) I’m not a confrontational person; (d) I was super-relaxed and in a great mood because it was an otherwise beautiful and peaceful outing in the woods.
But, bottom line…USE THE DAMNED DOG PARK.
I also laughed at your “dog won’t bite” bit. In September I was with my kids at the big new park on Pilot Knob, south of County 46. I noticed that some lady had her three wiener dogs running around the tennis court chasing tennis balls (she must have been with the tennis players…they didn’t mind). But my kids, who finished their picnic lunch a bit faster than me, had wandered over there too so I wanted to warn them off from approaching the dogs without asking permission. “Oh, they don’t bite,” she says. I let them play, but then get a little leery of just trusting the kids/dog mix. So, as I’m walking back over to collect the kids and shoo them over to the playground apparatus, one of the dogs charges me and chomps on my leg. Hard. Again…I played the non-confrontational bit.
We also have neighbors that leave their dog out to roam the neighborhood. A few weeks ago, there was a “Lost Dog” sign. Apparently they found it because this morning it ran across the street in front of my car, barely escaping death. They’ll get a polite, non-confrontational visit from me this afternoon.
Anyway…I guess all of this means that I’m not sure it’s the quantity of dogs, but I’m all in favor of enforcing the existing laws and regulations, even if the owner is on the city council. (I have one dog BTW)
January 13th, 2009 at 9:11 am
irv, you mean that the spandex and lycra doesn’t protect you from canis lupus?? dang!!
does your dog bite?? no he says, i pet fido, he bites me! guy says, ‘it’s not my dog’! (pink panther)!
the laws are there, my take, enforce ‘em!
bb (two cairn terriers)
January 14th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
I have one dog, one cat. Neither is licensed currently. While living in Florida previously (and Illinois), licensing was handled at the veterinarian’s office. It was easy – take your pet in for it’s annual shots, and purchase your license all at the same time. The workers at the vet office provided the pet owner with their license at the time of visit and submitted the paperwork to the city/county. It was easy.
When I moved to MN, I tried to pay at the vet and was told they don’t do that (in Dakota county anyway). Not being able to purchase at that time, I forgot about the license and never got back to it.
January 14th, 2009 at 9:55 pm
That is not exactly true for all of Dakota County JuberD. In Eagan you can buy a City License for you dog at any number of Vet Clinics, or at the Police Station. Dog licensing is City governed, not at the county level. Bill posted links to all the city websites, check out the city in which you live. Your’s quite possibly doesn’t offer that serive.
January 15th, 2009 at 10:57 am
And if you’re going to throw the plastic bag of dog doo into the shrubs when no one is looking, why’d you bother picking it up in the first place?? Dumbasses.
January 15th, 2009 at 11:07 am
To bf – regarding “throw the plastic bag of dog doo into the shrubs”
I can’t speak for everyone, because I see this a lot! Why?? I do this when I’m out jogging with my dog and shit happens early in the run – so I don’t have to carry it with me – then I pick it up on my way home and toss.
To JaLurker – thanks, for the clarification, I’ll check it out. My experience was limited to East Valley Animal, 3 years ago.
January 15th, 2009 at 2:40 pm
For everytime a JuberD actually DOES pick up the doo, there must be a hundred others that leave it and casually “forget” to stop by and grab it.
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