Baxter Ordinance Would Limit Pet Ownership

BAXTER, Tenn. - No one can tell you how many children you can have, and people in one county say that should apply to pets as well.

Video: Ordinance Would Limit Number Of Household Pets

Residents are upset because their county leaders want to limit how many cats and dogs people can have in their homes.

For the past year, Codes inspector Bob Lane has heard dozens of complaints over vicious dogs, bad smells and incessant barking. And after Jamestown leaders asked for help, he's proposing an ordinance that would limit how many pets a person can have.

"If you have, say, ½ acre or less, you could have two dogs and two cats," said Lane. "If you have from a half acre to two acres, you could have three dogs and three cats, and from three acres on, you could have four dogs and four cats."

The ordinance would apply to everyone in Jamestown, Baxter and Algood.

"That'd be like telling me not to have children," said pet owner Michelle Tackett. "I myself right at this time have 11 (animals), because my dog just had puppies, and I have two cats, and that would put me way over the limit of an acre and a half, and what would I do with all of my animals that I love very deeply?"

But Lane said some neighbors think his idea could be the relief they need.

"I've been told several times it's as good an ordinance as they've ever seen," said Lane.

Tackett said she feels the need to protect her rights as a homeowner, and Lane said he's just trying to do his job and regulate a problem in the area.

"It's my acre of property that I bought," Tackett said.

"The people that own dogs are not gonna like this if they feel as though you're trying to control them, but I feel truly responsible dog owners are going to understand what we're trying to do," said Lane.

Lane said he loves his own pets and that if his idea becomes reality, he'll work with fellow pet owners as much as possible.

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