FORKS — Residents of the city of Forks who keep more than 11 pets will be required to pay for a special license beginning Jan. 1.
The City Council approved the new animal ordinance by a vote of 4-1 on Tuesday.
The dissenting vote was from Councilwoman Juanita Weissenfels, who did not specify during the meeting why she voted against the ordinance.
There has been little interest or participation in discussion of the new law from residents, City Attorney-Planner Rod Fleck said Tuesday.
“There were two people in the audience [Tuesday],” he said.
The new law would require yearly animal-collector licenses for owners of 11 or more dogs, cats and birds combined on a parcel of property.
Each animal must be licensed with the city, and canines and felines must be vaccinated for rabies.
Licenses also would be required for hybrid pets with one or more grandparents that is a wolf, coyote, wildcat or other wild species, or for three or more nonvenomous reptiles larger than 20 inches in length or 4 pounds in weight, whichever is smaller, and for any animal or reptile that is venomous.
The city can revoke licenses for violations of the ordinance, which specifies the amount of living space required for individuals of each species — 250 square feet for dogs, 150 square feet for felines and 50 square feet for reptiles.
Animals must also have access to unfrozen, potable water and ensure that “adequate shelter” is provided.
City officials can obtain assistance from “applicable experts and/or agency representatives” in evaluating the animals’ living conditions, according to the ordinance.
License fees
License fees will range from $100 for 11 to 20 dogs or cats to $1,500 for 10 or more hybrids or for venomous snakes.
Violators can be fined up to $300 in civil penalties for each violation and have their animals removed.
Breeders with more than 10 animals would fall under the ordinance, but offspring of those animals younger than 180 days old are excluded.
Fleck estimated five animal-collector permit applications will be submitted per year if City Council members approve the new law.
The ordinance is online at http://tinyurl.com/PDN-Animalordinance.
Gaps in city code
The ordinance was prompted by legal gaps in the city code that were revealed during the controversy over Steve Markwell’s now-defunct Olympic Animal Sanctuary.
Markwell, who founded his kennel at 1021 Russell Road in Forks to house dangerous dogs in 2006, received national attention before former volunteers alleged that conditions inside the pink warehouse had deteriorated.
Animal lovers and activists said the animals were living in squalid conditions and that many died of neglect.
Protesters converged on the city in fall 2013 and received extensive news coverage in Seattle.
Markwell left Forks with more than 124 of the dogs in a semitrailer in December and turned them over to the New York state-based Guardians of Rescue in Golden Valley, Ariz.
Sanctuary displacement
The dogs have since been placed in new homes or other sanctuaries.
Markwell returned to Forks in February and moved back to the warehouse, saying he kept some dogs as pets but not saying how many.
Residents have reported seeing Markwell in town, but he has not contacted authorities regarding his presence or the number of animals he is keeping.
Fleck has said that if there is evidence that Markwell has more than the 11 allowable pets and has not registered them, officers can inspect his property to determine if he has exceeded the law.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.
