The City of Roseburg is considering a limit on the number of dogs and cats that can reside in a single household.
City councilor Patrice Sipos told her colleagues during their Monday meeting that roaming cats are a large problem in her, and other neighborhoods.
“There has to be about 15 living there,” she said. “They're all over, and since I have gone to mulch in my front yard, it’s now the neighborhood cat box.”
The city council is considering a law that would create a limit of four dogs and six cats per household. The ordinance would also empower police to directly address animal problems, and it would create a clearer impounding process for dogs.
City officials said they hoped the law would address concerns about aggressive, unneutered dogs in public places, and roaming animals.
Roseburg Police chief Gary Klopfenstein told the council that enforcement would be focused on animals that cause issues.
"This would give us a tool to alleviate the problem,” he said. “If there was not a problem, we're not going to know, and we're definitely not knocking on doors, asking people how many dogs they have.”
In addition to four dogs, and six cats, Roseburg residents could also keep a litter of kittens or puppies until they are six months old. The ordinance would also ban pet owners from using multiple female dogs, or cats, for breeding purposes.
Roseburg’s proposal would be slightly more flexible than some of its neighbors.
In nearby Winston, for example, the limit is three dogs, and three cats. In Albany, the limit is two dogs. Most other cities in the region don’t limit how many cats you can have.
Council members will likely vote on a final version during their next meeting.
