Skip to main content Skip to office menu Skip to footer
Capital IconMinnesota Legislature

Loosening of animal control laws

Published (4/29/2011)
By Sue Hegarty
Share on: 



An animal control bill seeks to loosen the leash on local governments that are currently required to follow state mandates when they encounter stray or dangerous dogs and cats, including large cats such as tigers.

By changing “shall” to “may” in statute, HF516 would make several requirements optional for local animal control agencies.

Several provisions also would be repealed. For example, agencies would no longer be required to keep impounded animals up to six days before being allowed to sell them to a new owner. Also, the former owner would not have at least two months to claim the pet from the new owner.

The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Bruce Vogel (R-Willmar), said this puts more responsibility on pet owners to keep track of their pets. The bill was laid over April 26 by the House Agriculture and Rural Development Policy and Finance Committee for more deliberation. There is no Senate companion.

Tom Mahan, president of the Minnesota Animal Control Association and animal control officer for the New Hope Police Department, said the state shouldn’t count on cities and counties to pass their own ordinances. He said current state law is an effective tool to regulate dangerous dogs and to track them when their owners move from one jurisdiction to another.

One of the provisions would drop the requirement that local authorities annually report information about dangerous animals to the Board of Animal Health. Greta Gauthier, board liaison, said calls are received from residents each year about the presence of animals deemed “potentially dangerous” or “dangerous” by the authorities.

Session Weekly More...


Session Weekly Home



Related Stories


From soils to consumption
Ag law helps gardeners determine what plants are suitable for state climate
(view full story) Published 5/25/2012

A green thumbs up
Ag policies seek to protect garden and landscape consumers
(view full story) Published 4/6/2012

Minnesota Index: A bushel and a peck
Facts and statistics on farming in Minnesota
(view full story) Published 2/24/2012

Good practices
Feed manufacturers ask for stopgap to forthcoming FDA rules
(view full story) Published 2/3/2012

More food inspectors
Direct sales food retailers may need handler license in some instances
(view full story) Published 4/1/2011

Minnesota Index: A Minnesota Breakfast
Facts and statistics on Minnesota's homegrown foods
(view full story) Published 3/25/2011

Learning about what you eat
Students use ‘exploding cheeseburger’ to teach agriculture
(view full story) Published 2/25/2011

At Issue: Repeal of Green Acres
The issue: ‘A farm is a farm is a farm’
(view full story) Published 2/4/2011