Mills council declines standalone kennel ordinance after rescue operators, residents raise concerns

MILLS ' The Mills City Council voted against passing Ordinance No. 836 on second reading and agreed instead to address kennel, cattery and boarding standards through the city's broader business-permit process after an extended public-comment period Tuesday.

The ordinance, which proposed revisions to section 6.03.040 on kennel category requirements, was met with a staff recommendation that it be rejected because the issues it attempted to address would be better handled under the city's business-license framework. Council members voted "No" on the second reading, causing the ordinance to fail.

Why it matters: Local rescue operators and small-business owners told the council the proposed rules risked hampering animal-welfare work and could impose burdensome new costs. Several speakers said the measure appeared reactive to a specific dispute and asked the council to ensure fairness and transparency before moving ahead with regulations that would affect nonprofit rescues and small businesses.

During public comment, rescue operator Lindsey Royce, owner of For Pete's Sake, said her daycare and boarding operation helps finance rescue and placement work and that additional…