Pet owners in the city of Nacogdoches could end up in the doghouse — or at least paying a hefty fine — if they fail to comply with the city's animal control ordinance. The local laws define a range of proper ways to keep and care for animals within the city limits.

According to city code, owners of dogs and cats are required to purchase a licence for their pets and keep them "under restraint at all times." Licenses are available from the animal shelter and cost $3 for altered pets (spayed or neutered animals) and $10 for unaltered pets.

The city "leash law" obligates owners to keep their animals restrained by a fence, a leash or some other physical force. Animal shelter supervisor Jennifer Harris says invisible fences don't count, because they cannot prevent children or other dogs from wandering up to pets.

There is also a proper way to keep animals tied up, according to Harris.

"You have to make sure that if you want to tie your animal up, they have to be in a trolley or they have to have 10 feet of area for them to run around," she said. Animals must also have clear space so that they do not become tangled.

A new state law effective Sept. 1 places further restrictions on tying up animals. Pets may not be tied up with choke or pinch collars; or outside between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.; or within 500 feet of a school; or when the temperature is below freezing or when a heat advisory has been issued.

State law also requires owners of all dogs and cats to have animals older than four months vaccinated for rabies.

Lately, the city has been rigorously enforcing the animal ordinance, Harris said.

"We are becoming very, very strict. We are enforcing the ordinance to the highest power we can. We are not giving any warnings," she said. Running afoul of the animal laws could cost pet owners up to $500.

City residents may be surprised to know that such regulations exist because there are comparatively few animal laws that apply outside city limits. According to Chief Deputy Doug Richardson, Nacogdoches County has no leash law.

"Dogs do run at large in the county," he said.

Harris said that the local ordinance, which was adopted in March 2006, has been publicized in the newspaper, on the Internet, and on the television news.

But some citizens say they are still unaware of the leash law.

"Nobody knows they had an ad in the paper that said you need to have your animal licensed," said Goldie Williford, a Nacogdoches resident and pet owner for 31 years. "The people of the city need to be made aware."

Stephen Garner, a veterinarian who practices at the Southside Animal Clinic, agrees.

"Nobody knows," he said. "The city needs to talk about it. Once everybody knows it, it's not going to be so much of a fight."

City Manager Jim Jeffers said such criticisms are fair, but that local government requires assistance from all residents.

"Responsible citizenship involves the entire community becoming involved," he said. "The city needs to do more, and the citizens need to help us do more by communicating and accepting their responsibility to help us with our enforcement activities."

Nacogdoches has recently seen huge numbers of unwanted pets, and its animal shelter does not have the resources to handle them.

Michael Connolly, a local veterinarian, said educating citizens should be a priority in helping to combat the problem.

"The public cannot be blamed for being irresponsible if they don't know, if the city isn't putting information out there," he said.

Experts like Garner and Connolly agree that the existing ordinance alone will not fix the problem. Their animal clinics were among eight that met in August to discuss the problem. Their talks, which considered how to help with local animal control issues, led to the city commission's funding of two new employees at the animal shelter and approval of a plan allowing local vets to sell city licenses when they administer rabies vaccinations.

Jeffers said both plans are in the works. The new animal shelter jobs will be posted Monday, and a revised ordinance is being drafted that will formalize the agreement between local vets and the city.

Representatives at August's meeting also recommend increased city funding to keep the animal shelter open at times more accessible to working families. The group of animal clinics urges the proper licensing of pets in the city in order to give an accurate of idea of what kind of pet population exists and also to raise money to help combat the problem.

"I think the biggest thing is licensing," said Garner. "We need to know what we have out there. We don't have a clue right now," he said.

Though the requirements on pet owners can be tough, and fines annoying, Harris says they are essential.

"Our primary concern is for the well-being and the health and the safety of the animals."