Florence residents will be required by law to pay a tax to have pets within city limits as of Jan. 1, 2014. 

Florence Police Chief Ron Tyler, a supporter of the ordinance, said that the ordinance was an attempt at cutting down on the number of unwanted animals and animal pregnancies in the area because of over crowding at the animal shelter. 

“There were over 6,000 animals killed between Jan 1., 2010, and Dec. 31, 2011, because there wasn’t room for them at the shelter,” Tyler said. “The volunteers at the shelter have to euthanize animals one at a time now that laws regarding euthanizing changed in 2011, outlawing the use of gas chambers.” 

So far in 2013, approximately 500 animals have had to be euthanized, according to the Florence shelter’s report. 

“This huge decrease in the number of animals being euthanized since 2011 should be attributed to the hard work of our shelter volunteers to get these animals adopted out,” Tyler said. “It is not because of any law or ordinance.” 

The ordinance states that pet owners under the age of 65 who have had their animal(s) spayed or neutered pet will be required to purchase a $10 license annually, or a $35 lifetime license. If a pet has not been spayed or neutered, the fee will be $35 annually, with no lifetime purchase option. 

The Florence City Council approved the pet-licensing ordinance by a vote of 4-2 on Nov. 5.

Freshman Mason Kamp thinks the price is unfair and too high, he said.

“I think the price is too high because some people, like myself, have more than one pet,” he said. 

The fee serves to help those who cannot afford practical medical procedures for their animals, said Florence City Councilman Blake Edwards.

    “It [the licensing fee] is to raise money for spaying and neutering of pets—to lower the cost for those who cannot afford it,” Edwards said.

City Councilman Barry Morris believes the fee to be discriminating to citizen pet owners, he said.

“The pet licensing fee is a charge on some few citizens only because they have pets, although they have no more benefit from the use of the fee than citizens that have no pets — it is discriminating,” Morris said. 

There was no evidence to prove that the licensing fee would actually cut down the number of strays that end up in the shelter. For this reason, he could not support the ordinance, Morris said. 

The ordinance states no enforcement guidelines or punishments for those who do not comply with the ordinance.

“I asked for evidence that pet licensing had worked for other cities in the state, such as Huntsville, but none was produced, or maybe couldn’t be shown, Morris said. “I can’t vote for something that I have no reason to believe will help the problem.”

The ordinance states no enforcement guidelines or punishments for those who do not comply with the ordinance. 

“The only way that we will know if your animal is not licensed is if we pick it up for a violation of the leash law,” Tyler said.

He said that if a pet is picked up and taken to the shelter, when the owner came to claim the pet, he or she would have to purchase a license and pay a standard fee of $40. 

“The $40 fee is not linked to the licensing ordinance, but is standard for any situation in which a pet is picked up by animal control,” he said. 

Senior Emily Hamby thinks the law is very poorly executed, unfair and was not properly thought through, she said. 

“I’m a responsible pet owner, who has had my dog fixed, and I feel like I’m being targeted by this fee,” Hamby said. “I’m not contributing to the stray population.” 

City Councilman William Jordan, representative for district two, in which UNA is located, said that he supported the bill because it is a starting point to helping the shelter. 

“You’ve got to start somewhere, and I think this ordinance at least gives us that starting point,” Jordan said. “Maybe a year from now, after we have learned a little more than we know now, we can enforce things more strongly and make changes where we see necessary.” 

Editor’s note: To keep up with the Florence City Council’s meeting agendas and minutes, click here.