West Mifflin Borough Council rejects controversial pet ownership limitation ordinance
WEST MIFFLIN (KDKA) - West Mifflin has decided to toss out a controversial proposal that would have limited the number of pets people in the borough could own.
As it was revealed last week, they considered the proposal that would have limited each household to owning five pets in total. It also would only allow three dogs per household.
A public hearing was supposed to be held on Tuesday night but rather than hold the meeting, the borough council decided to reject the ordinance.
Residents pushback on the ordinance
Late last week, it became clear that West Mifflin Borough Council was considering passing the ordinance.
It was not a popular idea amongst many residents.
"There should be nobody able to come in and tell me that my children can't have a hamster and their dogs or cats. It just… it doesn't make any sense," Kristina Miller said, a pet owner who lives in West Mifflin. "It's devastating. How do you pick who you could keep and, and who to get rid of? How do you tell your kids that they have to choose animals they rescued and that they have to get rid of one?"
What was the ordinance before it was rejected?
The borough said the ordinance would have limited the amount of pets residents can have to five. Had it passed, owners would have been limited to a maximum of three dogs and could have no more than five cats or dogs combined.
"We don't want to make people get rid of their dogs. It's… we're trying to find a way to eliminate the nuisance animals is what we're trying to accomplish," West Mifflin borough Manager Brian Kamauf said.
The proposal led to many residents worried if it had passed, it would have caused them to have to either give up or put down their pets.
West Mifflin Borough Solicitor Phil DiLucente said that was not the case.
"We're not going to force anyone to get rid of any animals and they're going to have overwhelmed shelters. This is a very animal-friendly borough and a very animal-friendly borough council. So, we're going to get it right."
Residents will no longer have to worry as the ordinance has been rejected.