The Marthasville Board of Aldermen voted to remove licensing requirements for dogs and cats at their March 19 meeting. 

The amended ordinance removed sections referring to the registration and licensing of dogs and cats kept within the city limits and was passed unanimously. 

“The simple story is we’ve omitted paying for dog license tags,” said Alderman Nick Lange. 

The city had been purchasing and selling dog tags along with licenses and registration to track ownership and rabies vaccination for dogs in the city. 

Mayor David Lange said the city had previously sold the dog tags for $2 apiece to keep track of registration for pets as well as rabies vaccines for the animals. 

He continued saying the city was only able to purchase the tags in bundles of 100 and they only sell between 10 and 15 a year. He said it was not worth purchasing the tags just to use so few of them each year. 

“It’s not worth paying the clerk to aggravate with it to sell the tags,” said David Lange. 

He clarified the rest of the ordinance was left in place and still regulates pet ownership within the city. 

“So we eliminated the dog tags, we’ve still got all the leash laws and vicious dogs (laws),” said David Lange. “We just got rid of the dog tags.”

City Attorney Mark Piontek said he also removed a provision from the ordinance outlining punitive measures for owners whose animals were found loose without registration. 

The city’s pet ordinance still has requirements for leashing, vaccinations and animal care and establishes limits for the number of animals, and what kind, can be kept within the city. 

The ordinance also has a provision for vicious dogs referenced by David Lange that defines vicious as a dog that has attacked or attempted to attack a person or another domestic animal unprovoked. When an animal is determined to be vicious or at-large the city has the authority to impound the animal. 

There are provisions for keeping a dog that has been designated as vicious as long as they are leashed and muzzled and confined indoors. They are not allowed to be kept outside and owners are also required to display a “beware of dog” sign at their residence. 

Limits for the number of animals residents are allowed to own also remain in place. Marthasville residents are allowed to own up to four adult dogs and four adult cats and cannot possess more without a variance. 

The ordinance also prohibits the ownership of any “dangerous wild animals” such as big cats, non-human primates and dangerous reptiles unless they are kept at a zoological park, circus, scientific or educational institution, research lab, veterinary hospital or animal refuge.