The Storm Lake City Council at their meeting this week advanced multiple changes to the City Code on animal control.
An ordinance revision on dogs was approved on the third and final reading. The revision complies with current state code, requiring rabies vaccinations over six months of age. Proof of vaccination would be needed to obtain a City Dog License. A license is required for all dogs residing within City limits. A City Pet License is also required for pet cats, as an application must be made within six months of possession.
The council also approved small changes to the Dangerous and Vicious Animals Policy on the third and final reading. The amended ordinance creates more efficient progress for declaring a dangerous or vicious animal following an incident.
A new ordinance section is moving forward to allow Population Control Programs for cats. Approval would allow a new nonprofit organization “Caring Paws Rescue” to respond to incidents of stray or feral cats. The organization plans to have such animals spayed or neutered by a veterinarian and then returned to locations they were taken from, unless the property owner requests that the cat not be returned, or the cat is sick and injured. No comments were made during a public hearing on Monday, and the council approved the first of three readings on the change.
The City of Storm Lake is also considering a new policy on keeping domestic pigeons within City limits. A proposed policy would allow no more than ten pigeons to be kept on a property. Anyone with ten or more pigeons would be allowed to keep them, but could not replace birds exceeding ten in the future. Hours for training or exercising domestic pigeons would be limited. A City Permit would be required, and birds would be banded to differentiate them from wild pigeons. During a public hearing, a resident expressed concerns about impacting a neighbor’s birds on her property. Pigeons would not be allowed to interfere with another property. The council approved the first of three readings to the pigeon ordinance.
