Pet owners in Wichita will have to have their dogs and cats microchipped under new animal regulations that are going into effect in Wichita.
The requirement is one of several recommendations made by the city’s Animal Services Advisory Board, and the recommendations have been approved by the City Council.
Jan Jarman with the city’s legal department said the requirement will be hard to enforce, but it’s important to have pets microchipped because that helps in returning lost pets to their owners. She said the city will be doing outreach activities to make people aware of the requirement.
The Wichita Police Department recommended a number of changes to the city’s animal laws:
- Increased fines for dog bite convictions with a first-time bite increasing from a $250 mandatory
fine to a $500 fine, a second offense from a $500 fine to a $1,000 fine, and a third offense from a
$1,000 fine to a $2,500 fine; - Removal of mandatory dog pen requirement for dangerous dogs, leaving the determination to the
discretion of Animal Services; - Require microchip on all dogs and cats at the age of five months, unless a veterinarian advises
that it is not in the best interest of the animal; - Simplify pet licensing prices to $15 for spayed/neutered and $50 for those that are not. This is not
an increase for spayed or neutered pets but is a $15 increase for those that are not; - Simplify veterinarian requirements regarding vaccination and license information that is
transferred to City Licensing; - Allow licenses to be purchased for length of a rabies vaccine, up to three years;
- Allow three dogs/three cats per household. An animal maintenance permit will be required for
four; - Allow a dangerous dog to be cared for by an animal professional for evaluation; and
- The licensing provisions will take effect January 1, 2025, due to necessary computer upgrades
[ photo: Kansas Humane Society – Facebook ]
