Waynesboro needs to take the proposed pet law off the table

It’s been a week since Waynesboro City Council set the date for a September vote on a controversial proposed pet ordinance, and though it looks like City Council members aren’t on board with the limits on pet ownership in the city, those limits are still on the table at this writing.

Which is just … cruel.

Cruel to people who have been thinking for a week that they may have to either put their homes on the market or find new homes for some of their pets.

Cruel to animal shelters and animal rescue organizations who are having trouble locating animals because those most likely to foster and adopt are a bit gun-shy right now, for good reason.

The proposed new law carries with it fines and possible jail time for violators.

Paraphrasing Ed Clark, the president of the Wildlife Center of Virginia, the city would be criminalizing compassion if it were to adopt the ordinance as presented.

There’s no way they’ll actually pass this stupid law, right?

Again, it doesn’t seem likely, based on what we’re hearing from City Council members.

But it’s still on the table.

It’s past time for City Council to take it off the table, and give residents a good night’s sleep.

Story by Chris Graham