County begins grooming animal policy.

Byline: Randi Bjornstad The Register-Guard

Suggestions for improving the plight of lost and unwanted dogs and cats that end up in Lane County's animal shelter drew a mixture of praise and skepticism Wednesday afternoon as the county commissioners began discussing several controversial proposals from a citizen task force.

The recommendations include enacting a surcharge on dog and cat food at either the retail or wholesale level and beefed-up enforcement of dog licensing laws - in part by requiring veterinarians to report rabies vaccinations to the county.

"We know this may be controversial, but we felt we couldn't shy away" from the recommendations because of the severity of the county's animal welfare problems, task force Chairman Scott Bartlett told the commissioners. "We ask you to consider these proposals. We know they're not perfect, but we have made our best possible effort."

The 11-member panel worked for more than a year to come up with ideas to improve the operations of the Lane County Animal Regulation Authority.

Each year, the county euthanizes more than 2,000 cats because of the prolific breeding of unsterilized animals, Bartlett said. Model programs for increasing spaying and neutering of in-home and feral cats in other states, notably New Hampshire, have succeeded in reducing euthanasia rates by 70 percent or more, he said.

Increased revenues from licensing or a pet food tax ranging from 1 percent to 5 percent could raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to help support low-cost spay and neuter programs for both dogs and cats, Bartlett said.

Not everyone in the audience of about 75 people supported the task force's conclusions. Dog breeders, in particular, have frequented meetings of the commissioners for months to speak against the task force's ideas. Several attended Wednesday's session, holding up bright yellow paper signs criticizing the recommendations.

Nor did the task force itself agree unanimously on its proposals. Veterinarian Sandy Smalley offered a minority report Wednesday, citing concerns about requiring vets to report rabies vaccinations.

"I'm concerned about the confidentiality of our clients' information," Smalley said. Assurances that the information would be used only for rabies control and increased licensing revenue - and not marketing purposes - would allay some fears among veterinarians and pet owners, she said.

However, `the public is also worried about `limit laws,' ' which currently restrict pet ownership in the county as well as some of its cities to two adult dogs per household, Smalley said.

Although the task force also advocates amending or eliminating limit laws, "changes to limit laws should not lag behind mandatory licensing and reporting - they must be done simultaneously," Smalley said.

Lane County Sheriff Jan Clements cautioned that expanded enforcement of animal regulation codes could lead to the need for backup by sheriff's deputies.

"I applaud the efforts of the task force, but more work needs to be done," Clements said. "When enforcement of the code becomes confrontational, it will mean involving law enforcement," and his budget can't support additional demands on deputies' time, he said.

Commissioner Anna Morrison concurred - "I'm also concerned about enforceability of code requirements and the cost to do that," she said - but Chairman Peter Sorenson took a more positive view.

`As commissioners, we can take this report, say `Thanks, but we don't have the dollars or the political will to get the dollars,' and then do nothing,' Sorenson said. "Or, we can shy away from loose rhetoric and buckle down and do some work (on these issues).'

Rather than trying to do everything as a package, he favors scheduling individual work sessions soon to explore dog licensing, rabies vaccination reporting and the pet food surcharge proposals, Sorenson said.

ANIMAL REGULATION TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATIONS

The report by the 11-member citizen panel appointed by the Lane County commissioners looks at six areas of concern regarding animal welfare and regulation

Licensing: Require veterinarians to report all canine rabies vaccinations, allowing for uniform countywide licensing database; subsidize microchip clinic for low-income pet owners; substantially increase rate of licensing by dog owners; advocate voluntary registration of cats

Funding: Levy a wholesale or retail surcharge of 1 percent to 5 percent on dog and cat food

Spay and neutering: Create low-income spay and neuter voucher program supported by increased license enforcement; consider acquisition of mobile spay/neuter clinic; encourage creation of "Friends of Shelter" nonprofit fund-raising group

Legal issues: Amend county code language on animal abuse and neglect; relax or eliminate "limit laws" on number of dogs allowed per household; require low-cost juvenile licenses for dogs ages 8 weeks to 6 months

Public education: Include agency brochures and licensing forms in property tax statements and other public mailings; promote responsible pet ownership

Facilities and staffing: Increase capacity of dog kennels by at least 30; expand office hours to seven days a week and eight hours a day; increase patrols to cover all of rural Lane County

CAPTION(S):

Summer Justice (right) and Sherron Long look for just the right cat at the Lane County animal shelter on Wednesday while Johnnie Hillsbery, a shelter volunteer, plays with another cat that is up for adoption. Justice was looking for a family pet, since her dog died on Thanksgiving.