Here is the story

Renton – An Animal Friendly Community
By Randy Corman, Renton City Council

Renton has always been a city that is friendly to animals. We recognize that animals occupy an esteemed place in many of our households, often being treated as members of the family. They offer a source of amusement, pleasure, and companionship. They provide opportunities for outdoor exercise and socialization. We have some of the lowest animal license fees in King County, we allow dogs in 26 of our 28 parks, and we have our own animal control officers who love animals. They are responsible for inspecting properties to make sure they are suitable for the safe and appropriate care of the animals. We also enjoy a great history of large animal husbandry, dating back to Longacres, which for decades hosted up to 1,500 horses. The greater Renton area has also been home to some great pet, feed and tack stores over the years.

Recently, we heard from our community about their preferences and desires regarding pets and other domestic animals. Many people are intensely passionate about the animals they keep and their right to keep them. On the other hand, people also feel equally strongly about the impact of animals in their neighborhood and their property rights. We decided to review our current code and regulations so that we could be responsive to residents’ needs and concerns, anticipate future needs regarding keeping animals and ensure that we protect property rights and our neighborhoods.

I’m happy to share with you that at our last Council meeting, we updated and approved our regulations regarding the keeping of animals in the city of Renton. The new regulations change the definitions so that they are more specific about which animals are permissible, and revise the definitions of small, medium and large domestic animals. The type and number of permissible animals is now based on the lot size required to keep these animals. The new code links the use to the property, and does not prohibit the homeowner from replacing animals.

For instance, homeowners on lots of over 6,000 square feet can now own laying hens, for a supply of eggs. The new law also allows people on larger suburban lots of over 12,500 square feet to keep miniature goats, ducks, geese and sheep. Those with lot sizes of at least one acre can keep potbelly pigs, cows, llamas and horses. The number of animals allowed varies according to the lot size. Historically people could have a total of three dogs and cats. The new law allows one additional dog or cat for homeowners with large sized lots that are over 30,000 square feet.

In addition to providing flexibility and security for Renton residents who love their pets, this new ordinance safeguards the animals, and protects against any detrimental effect to neighboring properties. It also makes it easier for our newly-annexed residents to continue to keep their animals.

For more information please contact Angie Mathias from our staff at 425-430-6576, or visit our website at rentonwa.gov.

Sincerely, Randy Corman

(This case of alleged animal cruelty is outside of our city limits, but inside our potential annexation area.)

We are currently making updates to our animal keeping ordinance, but all versions, old and new, require proper housing and good nutrition for animals being kept.

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KIRO TV
Horses Seized From Farm Near Renton

King County Animal Control said they received a report a week ago that 16 horses living on a farm in the 13400 block of 156th Street Southeast were not getting enough to eat and were living in dangerous conditions.

Read the whole story here

In Today’s Seattle Times there is an important warning about the local coyote population. Coyotes are kind of cute, in their wild-doggy sort of way, but many pet owners do not realize the threat these wild animals pose to their cats in particular. Cats that have been raised with dogs are actually in the most danger, as they have generally become accustomed to the behaviors of domestic dogs and are taken completely by surprise when a meandering coyote suddenly charges and lunges at them on your street after dark.

Renton’s coyote population is rising, and many of my residents have noted that Renton sounds like the Arizona prairies on some evenings after dark. Howooooooo……

You can spot areas in Renton with high coyote populations simply by looking at the telephone poles….the more signs you see for lost kitty’s, the more coyotes there are. Raccoons also are a threat to cats, but they are less likely to attack them, and when they do they will leave the body for the very sad family to find. Coyotes, on the other hand, take the body back to their den, and leave their grieving owner posting reward signs for their lost kittys….too sad.

Renton animal control has come across dens with the remains of up to 50 kitty-cats, sometimes with collars and tags in the mix!

What can you do?

First, please do not hurt or harass the coyotes. This may get you in legal danger and physical danger.
Here is a list of steps from today’s Seattle Times…

To keep coyotes away

.. Keep pet food and water inside.

.. Keep cats inside.

.. Keep wild bird seed elevated and in feeders designed for birds, and clean up spilled seed from the ground; coyotes can either be drawn directly to the seed, or to rodents drawn to the seed.

.. Keep fruit trees fenced or pick up fruit that falls to the ground.

.. Minimize vegetation near children’s play areas to avoid attracting rodents and small mammals that will in turn attract coyotes. Keep clusters of shrubs, trees and other cover and food plants away from buildings and children’s play areas.

Source: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

And here is the Complete Article…..

Saturday, October 28, 2006 – Page updated at 12:18 AM

Pets vanish as Seattle’s coyote sightings increase

By Tan Vinh

Seattle Times staff reporter

Coyotes’ local habitat is shrinking.

At first, the stories sounded like playground lore .. coyotes snatching house cats around Beacon Hill neighborhoods in the middle of the night.

But then Tub, Teenie and other felines weren’t coming home at night. More than the usual number of fliers about missing tabby and Siamese cats began showing up on utility poles and community bulletin boards.

By summer, reports of sightings were becoming frequent on community e-mail listserves and at neighborhood crime-watch meetings in this South Seattle community.

In late July, resident Tina Miller said, two coyotes mauled and killed the family’s beloved 3-year-old cat in her backyard. Two weeks later, Miller said, her son saw a coyote trying to snatch a stray cat near her house.

“It was traumatizing,” Miller said. “We had no idea there was such a big problem with coyotes.”

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