Five Days Left To Comment Before Boise Changes The Animal Code

Heads up, pet owners.  Now is the time to share your thoughts on Boise's animal code before the new policy goes into effect.  It will impact pet licenses, leash laws, and even doggie bathroom rules.

An active city like Boise includes dogs, dogs, and lots of dogs!  We love taking our pups for walks around neighborhoods, to parks, to pick up kids from school, and on family road trips.  Benny the Mini Schnauzer and Libby the Mini Pinscher are huge parts of our lives, and as my daughter puts it, "they understand us and we don't have to say anything."  Dogs are loyal and awesome, but owning them doesn't come without a few responsibilities.

The City of Boise knows we're animal lovers, but at the same time, the animal code needs an update to keep up with the times.  The city said last year, Idaho was ranked 48th out of 50 in animal protection laws, so Boise City Council Member TJ Thomson and the Idaho Humane Society worked together on writing some updates to the code.

It's not effective yet, but it will be this spring, and we're down to the last six days to add our two cents as part of the process.  Some of the animal code remains the same, and some of it will be more of a language clarification than anything.

Highlights from the proposed animal code update:

The last thing anyone wants to see on the sidewalk in front of their house is a big pile of doggie doo-doo, so picking up after your pet stays in the new rules.  No big surprise there.

One of the big changes would be adding "animal hoarding" as a form of animal cruelty.

A Good Samaritan who rescues a dog from a hot car would be immune from damages and penalties.

An owner could be in violation if his or her dog barks for thirty minutes straight.

Any dog older than 16 weeks would still have to be licensed, and if it's not spayed or neutered the licensing fee could be extra.

The list of animals you can't own in Boise will expand.  It includes tigers, dolphins, mice, elephants, bats, and bears.

The proposed animal code is 42 pages long, and it covers rabies vaccines, aggressive animals, leash rules, and a whole lot more. If you're a pet owner it's worth skimming so you know what's what.

You have until March 30th to add input by filling out the comment form HERE.  The goal of it all is to protect the animals.