Local governments set limits to control density. Cities and
counties frequently struggle with residents over pet ownership
laws, particularly those that limit the number of pets allowed
per household. The City Council in San Jose, Calif., recently
tried to address the problem by raising the number of pets
allowed from two to five per household, but raised fines for
residents who fail to vaccinate and register their dogs and
cats. The Village Board in Oak Park, Ill., also raised its
100-year-old, two-dog limit to three in single-family units
after resident protests. And, in Currituck County, N.C., a new
limit of four adult cats and dogs was created in April. Those
types of moves indicate a delicate effort to balance animal
welfare with residents' freedom to keep pets in their homes. As
director of Multnomah County, Ore., Animal Services Mike Oswald
has seen it all, from residents who can manage 40 to 50 dogs on
their property, to those who take in more than they can handle.
“Most don't realize the amount of wo