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Lake County adopts pet policy for government offices; commissioners add Fridays to allowed days
Summary
The board adopted a countywide pet policy that limits pets in county buildings to specific days and settings, requires leashes and training, and gives department directors discretion to prohibit pets in their offices; commissioners amended the policy to allow pets on Fridays as well as the originally proposed days.
The Lake County Board of County Commissioners adopted a pet policy on July 1 that defines when and how employees may bring pets into county buildings and gives department directors authority to limit pets in their own offices.
County manager Candace Bryant presented the policy, saying it aims to balance employees who bring pets to work with co-workers and visitors who may be uncomfortable or allergic. The policy requires that pets be the responsibility of their owners, remain leashed and under control, be potty trained and not be allowed in conference rooms or meetings. Bryant said department directors and elected officials may restrict pets in their offices if it is not appropriate for that workspace.
"We are introducing a new pet policy that defines that pets are the responsibility of their owner if in the building. That they need to be leashed and with the owner," Bryant said. She added that the policy tries to respect both staff members who enjoy pets and those who do not.
Board members discussed practical questions including how public visitors with service animals would be handled (staff said federal law limits what the county can ask about service animals) and how to address allergies (the policy allows department directors to prohibit pets where staff identify allergy concerns). The board debated whether the policy would become a recurring source of debate and ultimately amended the draft to add Fridays to the permitted days that pets may be present.
Under the adopted policy pets are allowed on specified workdays (initially Tuesdays and Wednesdays in the draft) and, by amendment at the meeting, Fridays; they are not to be in conference rooms or formal meetings. The policy grants department heads discretion to disallow pets in particular work areas and says that a staff member who violates the rule would be asked not to bring the pet back.
Motion and vote: The board moved and seconded the policy adoption with the Friday amendment and voted in the affirmative. The clerk recorded the vote as "Aye" by the commissioners; the public record shows the motion passed.
Ending: County staff said they will circulate the final policy text to department directors and include the policy in personnel guidance. The county will monitor the policy's effect and revisit it if it creates operational problems.
