Council Hikes Animal Licenses

To offset the cost of a free pet-sterilization program, Spokane’s dog and cat owners will pay more for animal licenses.

The City Council gave unanimous approval Monday to raising the price of the annual license by $2.50 to pay for the spaying and neutering program.

Voters in November passed the ballot initiative that dedicates one-tenth of 1 percent of the general fund to the program. That’s $97,450 of this year’s spending plan.

The owner of a dog that isn’t neutered would pay $23 for a license, up from $20.50. The owner of an unfixed cat would pay $13, up from $10.50

Owners of sterilized dogs would pay $12, up from $9.50. Owners of cats would pay $7.50, up from $5.

But LaVerne Kettlety, an animal rights activist, said the program should be free. She argued Monday that raising the license fee endangers the city’s pets.

“I’m here to ask you to please reconsider,” Kettlety said. “How many more animals will be abandoned or taken to the shelter” due to the higher license fee?

The measure contains no specifics about who is eligible for the program or who will do the spaying and neutering.

Molly Myers, director of neighborhood services, said she’s received as many as five calls a day from people interested in the program. “The word is definitely out,” she said, adding that the program will work on a “first come, first serve” basis.

Also Monday, the council set levy assessments for the downtown Parking and Business Improvement Area.

The assessments will contribute about $672,000 to the PBIA’s $818,000 budget this year.

Money will be used to make downtown safer, and more attractive and accessible, officials said.

They plan to hire security guards, increase marketing efforts and improve maintenance.

Attorney Steve Eugster, who is suing the city to block the assessments, argued that the levies won’t benefit his property or his business.

, DataTimes