SHERWOOD, Ark. (KTHV) -- The city of Sherwood has hatched a new animal control ordinance that not everyone likes.
It allows residents to have backyard chickens. It also raises registration fees for dogs and cats. The new Sherwood Animal Ordinance went into effect Friday.
It's been decades since the city has revamped its ordinance. The Sherwood Animal Director said residents will pay a few more dollars for registration tags as long as their pets are spayed or neutered.
"It's $5 if your pet is sterilized and it's going up to $30 if your pet is not sterilized, that would be per year," said Sherwood Animal Services Director Robin Breaux.
Breaux said it was time for an update the city's animal ordinance.
"The city tag had been $3 since 1989 and that really is not even paying for the licensing book, the tags, and just the book keeping part of it to keep up with the tags," she said.
The new animal services ordinance introduces something new. People living within the city limits can have up to 12 chickens, two sheep, goats or pot-bellied pigs.
"If you live in the city and you have less than an acre of property you can have up to 12 chickens," Breaux said.
It's a discussion that's ruffled some feathers in the past but currently most residents see open to the idea to bring farm life to Sherwood.
"It's a compact little animal that would be easy to take care of. Plus, it would provide food for your family," she said.
As for the other farm animals like pot-bellied pigs.
"Of course they have to be kept the same as like a dog or a cat, because we're considering them pets. Not a pig or a hog to be used for commercial use," she said.
The city also updated it's pet transport policy. They are now requiring all dogs in the back of pickups to be crated or leashed to the center.
The Sherwood Animal Services is hosting a Pet Fair on April 22 to help familiarize residents with the new guidelines and answer questions.