Published: August 28, 2008 12:26 am            

Dog tags are free — with a catch

Lebanon — Dog owners here have no excuses if their pet is without dog tags.

Effective immediately, the city has stopped charging for dog licenses, Clerk-Treasurer Debbie Ottinger said at Monday’s City Council meeting.

There’s a catch, however; if a dog running loose is captured by city workers, the owner must prove the animal has had rabies shots.

“We will be adamant on proof of rabies shots,” Ottinger said.

Owners must also pay a fine, she said. The penalty is $25 for the first violation, $50 for the second, and $100 for all subsequent violations. Animals will be taken to the Lebanon Street Department’s dog pound.

The goal is to issue a tag to every dog in Lebanon, Ottinger said. The program is intended to help the police and street departments identify the owners of stray dogs.

Free dog tags will be distributed from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday during the Humane Society for Boone County’s Bark-B-Que fund raiser at the Kroger store, 2420 N. Lebanon St., Lebanon. The event continues through 6 p.m.

Free tags are available only to Lebanon residents, Ottinger said. For information call Ottinger at 482-1201 or visit the clerk-treasurer’s office on the first floor of the Lebanon City Building, 401 S. Meridian St.

ALSO MONDAY, the city council:

n Adopted, on second reading, ordinances that annex 162 acres owned by Duke Realty into the city and another that sets new fees for Internet services provided by Lebanon Utilities.

n Was told by Councilman Dick Robertson the town of Ulen has banned open burning for 16 years, according to the town board president. Robertson had questioned opening burning in Ulen, and the Elmwood subdivision, at an earlier council meeting.

Elmwood is surrounded by but not included in the Lebanon city limits. Robertson suggested the council contact the area’s homeowners association for clarification of leaf, debris and trash burning rules.

n The Indiana Department of Motor Vehicles has not been given a recommendation from the Indiana Legislative Services Agency on whether golf carts are street-legal.

That means, City Attorney Eileen Sims said, state law banning carts from roads and streets still trumps a city ordinance allowing carts.

        

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