Final versions of the Fort Smith pet licensing ordinance and Kitties and Kanines Shelter contract have been approved by the Fort Smith Board of Directors, 6-1.

The board repealed and replaced the original ordinance and contract, which were approved Aug. 6 with amendments discussed Aug. 13, to ensure accurate record keeping and keep confusion to a minimum. Vice Mayor and At-large Director Kevin Settle voted in opposition of both motions.

Settle previously voted against the motions because there was a civil penalty for licensed pets who got out. He said the purpose of licensing is to help Animal Control return animals home without penalty and without taking them to the shelter.

The amended ordinance states licensed animals will be returned to their owners for free. If a licensed pet cannot be returned home and is impounded at the shelter, the owner must pay a $25 service fee to claim it.

Settle said he is still against the fee to pick up the animal.

Cats are also prohibited from running at large. This means domesticated cats should be enclosed in a carrier or crate, or they should be leash-trained if taken outside. Trap, neuter and release programs are acceptable under the ordinance, which Settle said he is opposed to. TNR programs are considered a humane way of controlling the population of cats who are wild and deemed unadoptable.

No other board members expressed concerns about the ordinance, which applies only to those within city limits.

Pet licensing requirements are as follows:

• Cats and dogs older than 4 months old need to be microchipped and licensed with a secondary form of identification on a collar.

• Residents have 60 days to apply for a license from the time they move to Fort Smith or acquire the pet.

• Altered and microchipped pets will receive lifetime licenses for $10. These will be free for owners 65 and older.

• It will cost $60 annually to register an unaltered and chipped pet. It will be $20 for owners 65 and older.

• Owners of licensed and chipped pets won’t be fined if their pets are picked up by animal control and returned home, unless the owner becomes a habitual offender.

• If a licensed pet cannot be returned home and is impounded, the owner will pay a sheltering fee.

• Exceptions will be made for pets who cannot be microchipped or altered if a licensed vet determines one or both procedures would be unsafe due to age, poor health or illness. Those without microchips could be licensed but must have other identification and unaltered pets could be registered for the price of an altered license. A letter of certification is required.

• Task-trained service dogs, law enforcement and rescue dogs, pets younger than 4 months will receive a license for free. Emotional support pets aren’t included.

• Impounded pets at the city’s designated shelter will not be released to their owners without a valid license.

• Civil penalties for impounded pets are $125 if they are chipped but not altered and licensed; it will be $150 if they are not altered, chipped and licensed. These fees can be reduced if the pet is microchipped and/or altered within 10 days.

• A $500 annual license for each pet used in breeding is required in addition to a business license.

“All this we’re working on currently is not going to completely address the biggest problem, which is the overpopulation,” Ward 2 Director Andre Good said. “Even though we’re making these advancements and measures, it’s still going to be the responsibility of our regional pet owners to do their part. If we do not make this work, the alternative is the thing (euthanizations) you do not want us talking about. We make this work or somewhere down the line we will have to look at other alternatives.”

The board also approved a new version of the Kitties and Kanines shelter contract, which gives more details about what happens if the shelter halts all animal acceptances, which is allowed with three days written notice to ensure humane care.

City Administrator Carl Geffken said the city will receive a 1/30th credit of the monthly reimbursement on the sixth day onward that no animals are accepted.

This means, the shelter can stop accepting animals for up to five consecutive days. After that, any animals in its care belong to the shelter and are not the city’s responsibility. If the city is not receiving any services, it will be credited.

Brenda Altman, Friends of Kitties and Kanines vice president, said the shelter plans to have an active adoption and transport program to keep the population at a reasonable level. She said the shelter has already been successful adopting five animals this week and returned about 10 to their owners. There should also be a robust foster program of residents caring for pets in their homes until they can be adopted.

“We’ve been trying to help,” Altman said. “It’s very active out there.”

Geffken said the ordinance will hopefully allow Animal Control to return pets home, so Kitties and Kanines will be able to accept animals who are in need of medical care or temperament evaluation.

City Attorney Jerry Canfield also clarified last week either party may terminate the contract and seek legal action if an agreement isn’t made after a 10-day remediation period and a total of 30 days for discussions.

The shelter has already taken in pets from Fort Smith Animal Control officers and will be officially open as the city’s impoundment facility once the contract has been signed, Altman said.

It’s unclear when the online service for residents to apply for licenses will be chosen. They will likely have 60 days after the site is ready to register without penalties.