Beginning Tuesday, Leawood residents will no longer have to get city licenses for their cats or dogs, as long as they don’t have more than two, the city council has decided.
The Leawood City Council unanimously voted last Tuesday to enact a new ordinance that eliminates the annual tags that have been administered through the city in past years.
Here are the rules instead:
- Pet owners will be required to have an ID tag or microchip for any dog or cat over 6 months old.
- The tag or chip must have a current telephone number of the owner.
- If a tag is used, it must be visible and worn whenever the animal is outside or not in a vehicle.
The ordinance also requires proof of rabies vaccination for cats and dogs over 6 months and makes it illegal to bring an unvaccinated dog to Leawoof Dog Park.
The measure was passed with only brief discussion, which centered around how the change would be communicated with the public.
Why make this change?
At a meeting earlier this month, councilmembers weighed the costs of administering the annual license tags and the burden to residents and decided that the revenue from the tags and late fees fell short of supporting the cost of running the program.
City leaders at the time said ending the pet licensing requirement might free staff time for more complicated business licenses, which often demand more time and have higher fees.
The new ordinance has no effect on the special license requirement for those who have more than two dogs or cats. It also doesn’t change anything about the dangerous pet ordinance.
Keep reading: Leawood to do away with pet licensing program — What that means for pet owners
