Pet ownership isn’t just about training dogs. People behavior is an even bigger part of animal ownership in communities like Aurora.
In the city, for example, there are bans on the books regarding certain kinds of dogs. Like other cities in the metro area, Aurora has taken a stand on pit bulls and other specific dog breeds. The regulations have brought no shortage of controversy.
But the city’s guidelines regarding pet care go beyond unpopular breed bans. Living in the plains carries specific risks for pets of all kinds. Whether it’s the perils of local wildlife (coyotes, hawks and other wild animals are common in many parts of Aurora, and small mammals are their typical prey), or city-centric guidelines regarding leashes, licenses and fees, Aurora has specific demands for animal lovers.
For example, 1997 was a banner year for laws regarding cats, according to Cheryl Conway, an animal control specialist with the city. City council passed ordinances regulating the number of cats allowable on a single property. They regulated spaying and neutering your cats, and they took a step that still takes a lot pet owners by surprise.
Just like dogs, cats have to be on leashes when they’re off of an owner’s property. Conway said the leash law for cats stemmed out of concerns for the safety and health of the animals. She cites estimates that indoor cats have a life expectancy of up to 20 years — that’s compared to three to five years for outdoor cats.
“Part of it is that cats are very inquisitive. They tend to get themselves into more physical peril than dogs do,” Conway said. “At the same time, we got complaints from a lot of neighbors. Cats were coming into their yard, using their kids’ sandbox as a litter box.
“There wasn’t any way to deal with those complaints.”
Not following the rules with dogs or cats in the city can get to be just as expensive as vet bills. Fines for first through third offenses can run from $15 to $75; there’s even a cap of $1,000.
“If you have a pet and you love your pet, there aren’t really negative effects of keeping it indoors,” Conway said, adding that imaginative cat owners have found creative ways of keeping their animals in their backyards. There’s the obvious option of a leash, but Conway said that “kitty playpens” and mesh screens above wooden fences are also ideal ways of keeping a curious cat confined in a humane way.
Part of the reasoning behind those guidelines has to do with the risks of the plains. Small animals in Aurora’s southeastern stretches, for example, are ideal food for natural predators.
“They fall to predation by a lot of the wildlife that we’ve got in our area – foxes, coyotes, raptors, eagles, hawks will all prey upon cats,” Conway said, adding that smaller dogs could also be easy targets.