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Addison staff proposes animal code rewrite, higher adoption and microchip fees; council asked questions
Summary
Town staff presented proposed revisions to Chapter 10 (Animals) including new cruelty, trapping and unlawful restraint sections, and recommended fee increases for adoptions, dangerous‑dog registration and microchipping to better align with peer cities and cost recovery.
Town staff presented proposed amendments to Chapter 10 of Addison’s Code of Ordinances to modernize animal services operations, add enforcement clarity and adjust several fees; council members asked clarifying questions and suggested minor fee adjustments.
Why it matters: Staff said the town moved animal services from police to the services division in FY‑24 and that existing ordinances dated to the 1980s and 1990s contained antiquated language. The proposed rewrite updates definitions, adds sections addressing cruelty, humane trapping, unlawful restraint, lawful use of deadly force against animals posing imminent risk, and false reporting. Staff said the cruelty provision will reference state law and could be enforced as a criminal matter when appropriate.
What staff proposed - Rebrand “animal control” references to “animal services” to reflect the broader program (adoptions, low‑cost…
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