Dogs and cats
Just go read Monica Chen's article in the HS this morning.
Here's the money quote:
It's 2009, people. Durham is a growing urban community. How in the hell does the notion that you need to pay a licensing fee for your pet remain "little-known" this deep into the 21st Century?
What are we, fucking Mayberry?
License your dogs and cats, keep their rabies and distemper shots up to date, give them adequate food, water and shelter, take them for a walk once in a while, and get 'em spayed and neutered.
Here's the money quote:
A previously little-known ordinance that charges pet owners $10 per spayed and neutered cat and dog and $75 per unaltered animal is being collected by the Durham County Tax Administration Office this year, meaning higher penalties for those who get caught not paying the bill.
It's 2009, people. Durham is a growing urban community. How in the hell does the notion that you need to pay a licensing fee for your pet remain "little-known" this deep into the 21st Century?
What are we, fucking Mayberry?
License your dogs and cats, keep their rabies and distemper shots up to date, give them adequate food, water and shelter, take them for a walk once in a while, and get 'em spayed and neutered.
Since 1949, Durhamites have slept soundly, secure in the knowledge that, in our town, erection can be depended upon. Now, thanks to the power of the internets, we can spread that security all over the world.
6 Comments:
"Little Known"?
Methinks the cracker-jack reporters at the Paxton rag are up to their usual 'if it's not on the first page of google results, it isn't a fact'-style of journalism.
It goes back long enough that I recalled it in 2006, when I moved back to Durham after a 10 year stint in our nation's capital.
I refuse to register on the H-S website (I get enough solicitation phone calls from their subscription dept, as it is), so I'm not sure if it says it in the article, but according to BCR, the law goes back to 1990 -- so, if, as an 11 year old, I was able to take notice and comply with the newly-on-the-books statute, why so much fuss, from so many 'responsible adults,' 18 years after the fact?
By
Dan S., at 2:30 PM
Unfortunately, there are many irresponsible adults who don't register their dogs, much less neuter or spay them and provide adequate care for them.
By
Steve Graff, at 5:54 PM
-> Dan S.: It seems like the reporter is basing her "little known" on the "it's a surprise" stories told by people she's interviewed, not her own assessment of the law. Diss the H-S all you want, but after you've read the article, please!
-> Barry: I'd say that if this were Mayberry, the law would be very well known, what with Deputy Fife making sure that everyone was, you know, "nipping it".
By
Marsosudiro, at 6:04 PM
It was news to me, and my stickers are up to date on my YARD WASTE container.
T
today's word verification: exedue
By
Tony, at 8:50 PM
so does this mean that now I can call both animal control (dog is chained up all day without water) AND the tax office (I think there are unregistered/non-taxed dogs at xxx) in order to get people to treat their animals with a modicum of respect?
By
Natalie, at 8:51 AM
As i understand it, Animal Control is supposed to be checking licenses and vaccinations when they visit a home to investigate complaints of animal abuse. I've never heard of a fine issued for not having either, just an opportunity to comply. Let's see if having the tax office collect license fees increases the number of people actually getting licenses for their pets. What i hear from Cindy Bailey at Animal Control is that about 1/3 of all dogs and cats in Durham County are actually licensed.
One reason i freak out about this is that a decade ago, when i lived in Watts-Hillandale neighborhood, i came home one spring day and my 12 year old, who had pretty much given up wandering by then, was missing. I spent a few days combing the neighborhood and putting up signs, and finally, on a whim, went to the animal shelter out on East Club. Sure enough, she'd been there for 4 days.
When i asked how she got there, i was informed that she'd been picked up by an Animal Control officer as a stray, since she wasn't wearing her tag. I asked what address she was picked up from, and was told, well, my address. So i had to pay for 4 nights at the pound, plus a fine for not having my cat tagged (she was up to date on her registrations and vaccinations, just not wearing her tag), plus a pretty high vet bill for the kennel cough she picked up while at the pound. All because she was sleeping on the rocking chair on my front porch.
So i get pretty pissed off when the current Animal Control department wrings its hands and talks about how difficult it is to enforce the minimal codes that Durham has protecting both animals and people.
By
Barry, at 9:22 AM
Post a Comment
<< Home