Eric Eisenberg, Lewis County deputy prosecuting attorney, speaks at a Board of County Commissioners hearing Monday where an ordinance implementing a permit plan for dog kennels was adopted.
Many dog kennel owners in Lewis County will now need a permit to continue to run their operations.
The Board of County Commissioners approved an ordinance to add a chapter to the county code, creating the permit program on Monday.
“Our goal here is to come up with a way to verify that our kennels are meeting minimum standards,” Commissioner Bill Schulte said.
The county department of Public Health & Social Services previously held multiple public meetings on the proposed permit program, gathering input from kennel owners to draft the ordinance.
Before the new ordinance was adopted, the county code mirrored state law, and kennel operators could deny county inspectors access. A search warrant would then be required to gain entry to the property.
The county now defines a kennel as any property with 10 or more dogs with their sex organs still intact over the age of six months, or 20 or more dogs total.
Owners meeting those numbers will now be required to get a permit annually, which requires them to pass an annual inspection.
Eric Eisenberg, county deputy prosecuting attorney, said the county took the comments from previous public meetings under consideration when finalizing the ordinance.
“There are many, many good breeding operations in the county who have pride in their production,” Bill Teitzel, supervisor for environmental services, said.
The compromises and solutions include simplifying the definition of a kennel, requiring all kennels to get a permit, but making the permit fee free for hobby kennels and creating a tiered fee structure based on ranges of total dogs, among other things.
Carol Walsh, of Chehalis, said she supports anything that will help prevent animal cruelty and get rid of puppy mills.
“Some of the stories we’re seeing now are horrendous,” Walsh said.
Jane Reed, of Napavine, has been a dog breeder for about 50 years. She said Lewis County used to be known as “wide open” when it came to kennel regulations, which she said can lead to mistreatment of dogs.
“I am really for the steps that you have taken here. I think it’s a good direction,” Reed said. “I like the fact that you’re stressing the educational end of it.”
While the many attendees at the meeting were mostly pleased with the majority of the ordinance, a few said the ordinance is growing the size of government and were unhappy with that.
Brian Green, of Onalaska, and a former candidate for Lewis County Sheriff, said he thinks the ordinance violates individual rights.
When the county commissioners approved the ordinance many people applauded, and Green booed the decision.
Fees for the permit range from free, for noncommercial or hobby breeders with 10 to 15 dogs, to $200 for commercial kennels with 46 or more dogs. Fees increase if a reinspection is necessary.
Running or owning a dog kennel without the permit is an infraction for the first violation and a crime for the second.
Owners can apply for a program waiving the permitting requirement for three years, if the owner is a member of a private breeding organization with standards as strict as those of the county.
Owners can begin to apply for permits on July 1.
