From staff reports

A blanket regulation restricting the number of dogs to two per household isn’t fair or manageable with current county staff.

Thursday, September 09, 1999

A blanket regulation restricting the number of dogs to two per household isn’t fair or manageable with current county staff.

There are too many farms and rural homes that would violate such an ordinance. Anyone with three dogs would likely need to find a new home for a loved family pet.

Many of those families would be dog owners who are also good neighbors and control their animals by keeping them in the yard and ensuring they are quiet at night. They aren’t the ones causing the problems.

Limiting the number of dogs allowed isn’t the answer.

Many families have the skills and resources to control and care for more than two dogs. Others can’t even properly handle a single animal.

Regulation should focus on actions, rather than numbers.

If a dog is a disturbance or a danger, whether actual or perceived, neighbors should have some avenue of action.

There is currently a dangerous dog ordinance on the books in Freeborn County. Maybe it’s time to revisit the law and give it more teeth if needed.

Perhaps it’s time to notify the owners of potentially dangerous animals that they need to keep their dogs on a shorter leash or risk losing them.

Whatever the answer, it’s time to take a bite out of the problem before it bites someone back.