If you own more than five cats, chickens or rabbits — breathe easy. At least for now.
Vancouver city councilors delayed a decision on Monday to limit the number of cats, chickens or rabbits on residential properties. The city currently has no limit but does restrict dog ownership — no more than three dogs older than 5 months is allowed.
The city’s goal is to discourage animal hoarding, but councilors were concerned with the lack of detail for enforcing the ordinance. It originally planned to establish enforcement in future meetings.
Councilor Jack Burkman called the ordinance “piece-mealing,” and wants to establish the enforcement before enacting the ordinance.
“If we pass this, we’re going to enact an ordinance that has an impact, and then in a few months, we’re going to go, ‘Just kidding! Here’s another one,’ ” Burkman said.
Ariel Young testified at the meeting. She criticized the ordinance, arguing that the five-chicken limit was an arbitrary number.
“When I heard about the limits, I felt like they weren’t appropriately flexible,” Young said.
Young said she thinks people who own more than five chickens should be considered as individual cases rather than fall under a blanket that limits the number of all three types of animals.
The retired cardiac nurse also expressed concern with part of the ordinance that grandfathers in people who owned more than the limit at the time the ordinance began. That rule was not entirely clear in the ordinance, Young said.
Councilors agreed.
Young and her husband, Jonathan, keep five chickens in their yard in the Carter Park neighborhood. Young said within three blocks of her house she has three neighbors who own chickens. She owns the chickens for eggs, natural fertilization in her garden and disaster preparedness, and looks at urban micro farming as an increasing trend in Vancouver.
City workers did not know the scope of the impact, but Councilor Bart Hansen wants an expert to look into the problem.
The council also considered enforcing the cap with permits.
The cap would not apply to kennels, veterinary clinics, animal hospitals or dog day cares. It also did not apply to animals less than 6 months old. One exception to the limit in the ordinance allowed for more hens or rabbits in areas greater than 10,000 square feet.
The ordinance was referred back to city staff and will be discussed further in an upcoming workshop.
