Grass Valley Tightening Rules Restricting Animals At Special Events
By Kelly Ryan
GRASS VALLEY (CBS13) — A change is in store for dog owners in Grass Valley after the City Council votes to tighten rules.
A dog restriction has been on the books for years in Grass Valley, but on Tuesday, the City Council voted to enforce and expand it.
"This is a very dog animal friendly city," said Grass Valley City Councilwoman Jan Arbuckle
The new ordinance restricting dogs and other pets at special events is a safety issue, she says.
"It's not that we don't want dogs; it's that out special events the streets just get really crowded," she said.
The city council voted to start better enforcing the dog restriction on events like car shows, farmers markets and the popular Cornish Xmas celebration. It covers any kind of pet.
"We've had people show up with parrots on their shoulder boa constrictors around their necks ferrets on a leash Komodo dragons," she said.
Under the ordinance, you can still walk the streets of Grass Valley with your Komodo dragon, but you won't be welcome everywhere.
"When we post our events were going to post, not animal friendly in hopes people understand," she said.
Many dog owners we spoke to do understand, and say they're are plenty of places dogs are allowed. But there are some like max the dog's owner Alex who's disappointed a trip to the farmers market may be without Max in tow.
"It's a fun event that we like to go do and it's an outside event where you can take your dog or so we thought it's a bummer," she said.
If you do bring your pet to a restricted event you won't face a fine you'll just be asked to take the pet away.
