CRESTVIEW — The City Council is directing staffers to revise a proposed animal control ordinance that spurred debate on animal cruelty and liberty.
Dr. Jean Mitchell endorsed a provision prohibiting pet owners from "chronically tethering" their pets to a stationary object.
"Dogs become more aggressive when they are continuously chained," she said Monday. In addition, an animal's collar digs into its neck when it strains against the line.
Councilman Shannon Hayes said he believed the provision was important.
"I have had a dog choked and killed because of my ignorance to this," he said.
A trolley system is an alternative if a fenced-in enclosure isn't an option, Mitchell said.
The number of pets allowed per household is another issue.
April Meier, owner of a downtown pet food and supply shop, expressed concern about a provision limiting the number of possible pets per owner.
A resident could suddenly violate the law if he or she becomes a caregiver of a deceased loved one's pets, or if a pet becomes pregnant, she said.
"If it has a litter of 11 puppies, what do I do with those?" Meier said. "If the ordinance says you can have only seven (pets), it's euthanasia, right?"
Some residents supported the limitation.
"I do not want a neighbor next to me that has a bunch of animals," Mae Retha Coleman said.
Discussion on revisions hasn't been scheduled, but City Clerk Betsy Roy said it will most likely occur within the next 30 days.
Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Animal ordinance headed for revisions following resident input