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Dog ordinances up for approval

Two ordinances that have to do with dogs will go before the Common Council on Oct. 18.

The first is an ordinance amendment that would allow households in the city to have three dogs.

The city’s current ordinance limits households to two dogs.

The other proposed ordinance, related to dogs, would require dogs to be on a leash when they are on the city’s trail system.

Parks Superintendent Russ Montgomery told the council at its Sept. 20 meeting that some trail users expressed concerns that some dogs are not close to their owners when they are on the trails.

Ald. Dave Shambeau often uses the trail near Swan Park and said the typical person on that trail is taking the family dog for a short walk, unleashed.

“I will not support this,” he said.

But, Ald. Deb Fenske, who is the chairperson of the city’s Judiciary Committee, said not every dog on the trail system may be a friendly, family dog.

She told Shambeau that the committee has had a lengthy discussion about the issue and that the trail group approached the committee, asking that something be done.

The city’s current ordinance states that dogs must be “in control” when they are in the parks, something up for interpretation, Montgomery said.

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