License fees will make it easier to reunite owners with lost pets

The city's animal control director hosted another open house to discuss proposed changes to pet laws, and she said that new license fees will help the department return lost dogs and cats to their owners.

“The biggest benefit of licenses is the ability to give that animal a free ticket home,” said Dianne Weber, Animal Care and Control director.

Weber said the proposed fee would help the city maintain a better system for reuniting lost pets with their registered owners. If passed by the City Council, the legislation will require people to pay an annual license fee of $10 for each altered (spayed or neutered) cat or dog they own. The cost would be $35 for unaltered pets.

Right now, pets with rabies shots have tags that say which veterinarian administered them. Sometimes animal control reunites pets and owners by contacting veterinarians, but, Weber said the license system would be more efficient by being able to contact all registered owners directly.

Weber echoed her message from an Aug. 19 open house, where she said that damage from the 2008 flood increased the city's stray animal population. She said that disaster placed new demands on the department.

She discussed other changes to chapter 23 of the city code. It would allow senior citizens to own three altered pets without paying the fees. It also exempts animals in pet stores, service animals, and animals in the temporary custody of veterinarians.

She said the cost of the proposed license was settled on after considering the city's needs, and also by looking at the cost of licenses in other municipalities. According to Weber, the cost of an altered pet license in Des Moines was $20, Dubuque was $12, and in Cedar Falls the cost was $5.50. Similar to the proposal here, all those cities have higher licenses fees for unaltered pets.

Cedar Rapids pet owner Laurie Crawfordstone spoke against the license fees. She said the proposal placed the needs of neglected animals on responsible pet owners.

The open house was held at Cedar Rapids Police Department Briefing Room, 505 First Street SW.