City postpones animal ordinance vote

The Shelton City Council on Tuesday postponed a decision on proposed animal ordinances that would limit the number of chickens to five hens, and require dogs to be walked on leashes that can’t extend beyond 20 feet.

The council gave preliminary approval to new animal ordinances at its Feb. 15 meeting.

At Tuesday’s meeting, council member Joe Schmit made a motion to postpone the decision until the council discusses the wording at a study session April 12. That motion passed unanimously.

Under the proposed ordinance, residents in neighborhoods in land between 5,000 and 43,559 square feet — 1 foot shy of an acre — are allowed a maximum of five hens, but no roosters. Chicken coops and other structures intended to house chickens would have to be set back from any property by at least 10 feet, and not be closer than 30 feet from any residential structure on an adjacent or adjoining parcel lot.

The original proposal called for people walking dogs to use leashes up to 6 feet long. But the council members agreed to change that proposed limit to 20 feet to allow for retractable leashes.

A proposed ordinance calls for giving pet owners who have their animals microchipped a lifetime license rather than an annual license.