Sioux Falls dog owners want the city’s pet limit ordinance changed

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - In Sioux Falls, a city ordinance limits homes to only four pets. Some devoted dog owners are now hoping to change it.

The Herbeck family of Sioux Falls has 8 bulldogs, and they say all of them are part of the family.

The Herbeks recently moved into a new home with plenty of space for their dogs to run around. The couple says most of their neighbors are okay with that many dogs, though they admit not all their neighbors feel that way.

“She doesn’t like the number of dogs we have, she says they are very well taken care of, not any type of nuisance, she just thinks we have too many, so she has called Animal Control a few times about that, so we have had to deal with that,” said Eric Herbeck.

The neighbor’s complaint isn’t about noise or a smell, it has to do with the number of dogs.

“They told me if I gave them all of our vet record, rabies vaccination, they would write us one citation for having too many pets according to the ordinance and they would consider the matter resolved and they told us they would tell that neighbor the same thing,” said Herbeck.

Animal Control told Dakota News Now it is possible to be cited multiple times for the same ordinance violation.

“It’s very similar to, let’s say you don’t have your license plates up to date, each day you don’t have your license plate up to date you can get another citation for that,” said Julie DeJong, Sioux Falls Animal Control Supervisor. “So, each day you don’t have the correct number of animals in your household you can get a citation for that as well.”

The Herbeks are hoping to get the city ordinance changed, saying if dogs like theirs are well behaved and taken care of, there shouldn’t be a problem.

“I know that Eric had talked to the developer about how to get started on the city ordinance because he has also been involved in some of these complaints as well,” said Rebecca Herbek.

“He had given us a name of a lady who was on the city council, I looked her up, found her on the city website sent her an email but hadn’t heard anything back,” said Erik Herbek.

The Herbeks say they aren’t trying to make any enemies; they say they just want to live their lives and love their dogs and hope the city ordinance is changed.

Copyright 2021 Dakota News Now. All rights reserved.