City tweaks proposed animal ordinances

The Shelton City Council refined its proposed animal ordinances, allowing residents to own five hens - but no roosters - regardless of the size of their property.

The council members also discussed the proposed changes to ordinances regarding cats and dogs April 12 at a study session.

The council gave preliminary approval to new animal ordinances at its Feb. 15 meeting. At its March 1 meeting, the council postponed voting to make the new laws official after debating some of the details.

Under the initial proposed ordinance, residents in neighborhoods in land between 5,000 and 43,559 square feet - 1 foot shy of 1 acre -would be allowed a maximum of five hens and no roosters. Chicken coops and other structures intended to house chickens would have to be set back from any property by at least 10 feet, and not be closer than 30 feet from any residential structure on an adjacent or adjoining parcel lot.

At the April 12 work session, council members decided to eliminate all proposed requirements regarding the size of the property. The council will vote for final approval May 17.

In DuPont, a more urban city northeast of Olympia, chickens are prohibited, said City Manager Jeff Niten. In Yelm, a town similar to Shelton, five chickens are allowed, he said. Council member Stephanie Schlitz asked Niten to look into the chicken ordinances in Sequim, which seems to be much like Shelton, she said.

Council member Miguel Gutierrez, who owns chickens, said five hens would be "pets" to a family, while 12 chickens would provide a steady flow of eggs and fertilizer for the gardens.

"I think we should have more, not less," he said.

The council members also debated the proposed requirement to license cats for $25 a year, or receive a lifetime license with the insertion of a microchip.

Mayor Eric Onisko said he opposed the requirement.

"Cats are primarily owned by our senior citizens and we are going to have grandmother come down here to register her cat, down at the city every year?" he asked. "It seems silly to me. And do we really want our code enforcement chasing cats?"

Council member Joe Schmit asked Niten why cities register animals. Niten said it allows the city to determine animal ownership when it comes to damages to a property, and also to identify the pets if a car hits them, he said.

The registration would help ensure no one has 30 cats in their house, Niten said. The council agreed to keep the proposed licensing requirement.

Council members debated how long the city will hold stray dogs after owners are informed their pets have been impounded. They debated three or seven days and settled on three business days after the dog owner is notified by the city.

The animals would then be transported to Adopt-a-Pet or the Kitsap County Humane Society.

Schmit stressed that enforcing the ordinances is designed to be "complaint-based."

"We're talking about those unreasonable moments," he said.

Code enforcement officers say chickens are an issue, and that's why those ordinances are being reviewed, Schmit said.