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Brooklyn Park police propose mandatory microchipping, tougher impound rules and limits on backyard breeding after spike in loose-dog calls
Summary
Police described a sharp rise in animal-at-large calls and said the city will pursue ordinance changes that add microchipping as a requirement, streamline impound and redemption through the regional PUPS facility, and tighten rules to reduce backyard breeding; staff will return with ordinance language.
The police department reported a recent surge in animal-related calls and said stepped-up enforcement and a set of ordinance changes are being prepared to reduce loose dogs and improve public safety.
Chief (speaker 2) and Inspector Tony Weinbeck (speaker 21) said cadets and a newly assigned supervisor have increased citations for animals at large and for owners who fail to comply with dangerous-dog requirements. The chief said between Aug. 22 and Sept. 17 the department received about 162 animal-related calls and that several incidents prompted criminal charging where owners did not follow labeling requirements or redemption rules.
Inspector Weinbeck said the city and partner impound facility PUPS will change operational procedures so the facility handles owner contact and release paperwork directly, which staff said will streamline redemptions and reduce administrative burden on the police department. Proposed ordinance changes that staff will draft for council consideration include:
- Requiring microchipping (and allowing the facility to implant a microchip at owner expense as a condition of release if none is present). - Revising impound and redemption language so fees and releases are processed through PUPS rather than requiring claimants to process through the police department first. - Removing the current "under-6-month" exemption that allows multiple puppies to circumvent the city's per-premises animal limits; staff said they would draft a short grace period (for newly born litters) to avoid immediate violation on birth.
Weinbeck said the department will seek partnerships with local rescue and veterinary groups (e.g., MARS) to provide low-cost microchipping and owner-education programs and to support enforcement goals. The chief and inspector signaled council that they favor stronger enforcement tools and owner education rather than immediate mass seizures; in practice, the department will continue to issue citations and pursue compliance, with the potential for further steps when owners refuse to remedy violations.
Next steps: police will work with the city attorney to draft ordinance amendments and present them to council for formal consideration. PUPS operational changes will be pursued through the joint-powers agreement and will be subject to partner approval.
