Dog and Cat Ordinance Set for Amendment

The village codes regarding dogs and cats took effect February 13. Most of the changes were administrative, such as cleaning up the language, removing duplicative sections, and bringing provisions from various chapters into one complete section. However, there are three parts of the ordinance that represent changes to the existing code:

Limitation on the Number of Dogs and Cats Allowed Per Household
The old code did not allow a "kennel" in a residential neighborhood, but never defined what a kennel is.  The new code would allow no more than two dogs and two cats, over the age of 5 months, to be housed in a residence.  Exceptions may be requested by application to the Plan Commission and Village Board for a conditional use permit or PUD amendment; any fees will be waived when the pets were licensed as of December 31, 2006.

Leash Law
Except in our parks, a dog can be walked without a leash as long as it remains under the control of the person walking it. The new code would require a leash of no more than 10'  when away from the premises.

It’s true that some dogs are trained never to run.  However, the majority of dogs aren’t that dependable, and this presents the possibility of an attack on another dog or person. We've had two dog attacks in the past two years. A dog on an unattended leash mauled a child at Hickory Park, and the other involved two dogs that jumped a fence and killed one dog and injured another.  It's true that neither attack involved a dog being walked. However, a dog attack usually results in grievous injuries to the victim. The police department recommended a change in the ordinance as a proactive measure. Jackson is the only municipality in Washington County without a leash law.

Vicious Animals
The new code has a mechanism allowing the village, through the Chief of Police, to protect the public from a vicious dog, defined as (1)any dog with a propensity, tendency or disposition to attack, cause injury or otherwise endanger the safety of human beings or other domestic animals as evidenced by its habitual or repeated chasing or snapping, or barking and/or snarling in a threatening manner or (2) any dog which attacks a human being or another domestic animal without provocation. Specific breeds are not singled out.

The entire proposed code can be viewed here: