Oak Park, IL limits number of dogs and cats per house

On Wed, 15 Sep 2004 14:10:55 GMT, Kyler Laird
wrote:

(Steve Dufour) writes:

Oak Park, IL, Sep. 14 (UPI) -- The Village Board of Oak Park, Ill.,
has increased the number of dogs that can live in a single-family
residence from two to three.

I've searched a couple times for any logic for such limitations and
have found none. Anyone have ideas? I do not see a direct
correlation between some arbitrary number of dogs (or cats) and all
single-family residences in terms of problems for the community.

It's easy to see the reasoning in 1904: dogs (and cats) mostly ran
loose; rabies was common, if not rampant, and even if the Pasteur
vaccine was available, it was dangerous (up to 14% lethality); attacks
by dogs on humans, especially children were frequent occurrences; and
of course, dogs mess in other people's yards, stink, and bark - all of
these considerations are directly proportional to the number of dogs
and their density. Cats weren't neutered and we all know that a large
population of intact adult cats is not something you want to live next
door to.

In more modern times, some of those objections have been mitigated,
but dog noise, attacks, and messes - even where leash laws exist and
are observed - are still problems, as are intact cats. Then there are
animal hoarders who often stink up an entire neighborhood with the
odors from their houses/apartments and often are not really very good
to/for the animals because they simply can't cope.

Are there similar restrictions for children anywhere?

China tried a one child policy, but enforcement proved impossible and
actually raised the rate of infanticide and child abandonment (of
female babies).


--
T.E.D. )

"Steve Dufour" wrote in message
om...
I've searched a couple times for any logic for such limitations and
have found none. Anyone have ideas? I do not see a direct
correlation between some arbitrary number of dogs (or cats) and all
single-family residences in terms of problems for the community.

I think there could be health and safety issues if there were too many
dogs or cats in one house. But I think 2 or 3 is way too low. Maybe
8 or 9 might be a more reasonable limit.

Frankly, it depends on the owners of the animals, and the size of the house.
Some people can afford and can handle everything that comes with four dogs
and seven cats and five kids. Others can only handle a single small dog.

The limits are usually (as I understand it) intended to avoid hoarding or
collectors and the health risk that presents to both people and animals
involved. I think my hometown has limits... something like two dogs, two
cats. My sister and her husband applied for a permit of some sort to have an
exception made for them - they pay the necessary fees, and at least the
first time, a visit was paid to the home to be sure all the animals (and the
home itself) were in good condition. Hell, I live in an apartment complex
that allows only two cats per lease - they're supposed to be declawed, but I
behave myself and I talk to the manager when things come up, and so I have
three cats, none of them declawed, and I still foster feral kittens.

"Steve Dufour" wrote in message
om...
I've searched a couple times for any logic for such limitations and
have found none. Anyone have ideas? I do not see a direct
correlation between some arbitrary number of dogs (or cats) and all
single-family residences in terms of problems for the community.

I think there could be health and safety issues if there were too many
dogs or cats in one house. But I think 2 or 3 is way too low. Maybe
8 or 9 might be a more reasonable limit.

Frankly, it depends on the owners of the animals, and the size of the house.
Some people can afford and can handle everything that comes with four dogs
and seven cats and five kids. Others can only handle a single small dog.

The limits are usually (as I understand it) intended to avoid hoarding or
collectors and the health risk that presents to both people and animals
involved. I think my hometown has limits... something like two dogs, two
cats. My sister and her husband applied for a permit of some sort to have an
exception made for them - they pay the necessary fees, and at least the
first time, a visit was paid to the home to be sure all the animals (and the
home itself) were in good condition. Hell, I live in an apartment complex
that allows only two cats per lease - they're supposed to be declawed, but I
behave myself and I talk to the manager when things come up, and so I have
three cats, none of them declawed, and I still foster feral kittens.

Ted Davis writes:

In more modern times, some of those objections have been mitigated,
but dog noise, attacks, and messes - even where leash laws exist and
are observed - are still problems, as are intact cats.

But they're not necessarily proportional to the number of dogs per
household. It's very rare that my three are outside and barking
but there are some single dogs that do that all the time. Our
three also don't leave "messes" around the neighborhood (or even
in the yard for long), but other single dogs do.

Oh...and the only time I've been attacked in the neighborhood is
by a single dog.

--kyler

Ted Davis writes:

In more modern times, some of those objections have been mitigated,
but dog noise, attacks, and messes - even where leash laws exist and
are observed - are still problems, as are intact cats.

But they're not necessarily proportional to the number of dogs per
household. It's very rare that my three are outside and barking
but there are some single dogs that do that all the time. Our
three also don't leave "messes" around the neighborhood (or even
in the yard for long), but other single dogs do.

Oh...and the only time I've been attacked in the neighborhood is
by a single dog.

--kyler

"Ted Davis" wrote in message
...


In more modern times, some of those objections have been mitigated,
but dog noise, attacks, and messes - even where leash laws exist and
are observed - are still problems, as are intact cats. Then there are
animal hoarders who often stink up an entire neighborhood with the
odors from their houses/apartments and often are not really very good
to/for the animals because they simply can't cope.

Which can easily be dealt with by general health and safety regulations /
bylaws - no need at all to specifically limit the number of animals that can
be held.

"Ted Davis" wrote in message
...


In more modern times, some of those objections have been mitigated,
but dog noise, attacks, and messes - even where leash laws exist and
are observed - are still problems, as are intact cats. Then there are
animal hoarders who often stink up an entire neighborhood with the
odors from their houses/apartments and often are not really very good
to/for the animals because they simply can't cope.

Which can easily be dealt with by general health and safety regulations /
bylaws - no need at all to specifically limit the number of animals that can
be held.

On Thu, 16 Sep 2004 08:28:15 +1200 Ashley wrote:


Whatever happened to individual choice and responsibility? Talk about Big
Brother!



Nope. Forget Big brother! Talk about an overstrained juciary system an
about old-fashioned laws that should be abolished...

--
eMail: Gunnar Unterstrich Lode at web de

On Thu, 16 Sep 2004 08:28:15 +1200 Ashley wrote:


Whatever happened to individual choice and responsibility? Talk about Big
Brother!



Nope. Forget Big brother! Talk about an overstrained juciary system an
about old-fashioned laws that should be abolished...

--
eMail: Gunnar Unterstrich Lode at web de

On Thu, 16 Sep 2004 17:58:56 +1200, "Ashley"
wrote:


"Ted Davis" wrote in message
.. .


In more modern times, some of those objections have been mitigated,
but dog noise, attacks, and messes - even where leash laws exist and
are observed - are still problems, as are intact cats. Then there are
animal hoarders who often stink up an entire neighborhood with the
odors from their houses/apartments and often are not really very good
to/for the animals because they simply can't cope.

Which can easily be dealt with by general health and safety regulations /
bylaws - no need at all to specifically limit the number of animals that can
be held.


All of which eventually translate into minimum area/volume per animal
or per unit weight of animal - it is a lot easier to make assumptions
about the average floor space per dwelling unit of each type and the
average size of cats and dogs than it is to define the underlying
factors in ways that make enforcement practical. Numerical limits
make for more enforacble laws.

In any case, the laws are passed in the first place not to
inconvenience responsible and caring dog owners and cat keepers, they
are passed to deal with the irresponsible and careless - there just
isn't any reasonable way to distinguish the two classes and numerical
limits help to limit the damage the bad ones can get away with.

In an ideal world, the number of pets you were allowed to keep would
be determied by your ability to keep them well and happy, and harmless
to others. We don't live there - we live in a world where, for
entirely too many people, the standard is how much harm to people,
property, and animals they can get away with.


T.E.D. )
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