Limit on Des Plaines Dogs Could Increase from 3 to 4

Des Plaines City Council voted in favor, 8-0, of increasing the number of dogs allowed at a detached single-family residence from three to four at a meeting on Nov. 19. The ordinance change will go before the city council in a second reading at the meeting on Dec. 3.

The ordinance currently states the limit on dogs per household is three, which includes multi-family dwellings, First Ward Alderman Patricia Haugeberg said. Some condo buildings follow that rule, she said.

Haugeberg said other communities in the area have ordinances that address pet limits at multi-family residences. She said to increase the number of dogs in a condo from three to four would be extreme.

“As with other ordinances, it needs some fine tuning,” Haugeberg said.

Second Ward Alderman John Robinson said the ordinance had other problems with it, but the only thing that should change in this case was the limit of dogs in detached, single-family residences.

“Down the road I think the whole ordinance should come up for review, but because the demands are the asking of some of the residents to change the residential from three to four, that’s all that we’re reviewing tonight,” Robinson said.

After asking for clarification from aldermen about the amendment they sought for the ordinance, Michael Bartholomew, city manager, repeated their request.

“We’ll prepare an ordinance as amended for the next reading to keep it at three except for in single-family detached houses it could be four, and then we’ll revisit the entire ordinance at a subsequent time,” Bartholomew said.

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