Taking action to control potential nuisance issues is certainly one of the more important things that local governing bodies have to do from time to time.
And although making decisions on these matters may not always make everyone happy, officials must look at the big picture and decide what is best for the community as a whole, and not just what’s in the interest of one person.
Such was the case recently when the Helmetta Borough Council was faced with the task of determining whether to restrict the number of pets homeowners can have and whether an animal-rescue or pet-adoption operation should be allowed in a residential area.
The council voted last week to limit the number of dogs and cats a resident can have to four — or any combination that adds up to four — and passed a second ordinance prohibiting endeavors such as dog-rescue operations. In doing so, they acted to control the quality of life in the community.
Unfortunately, that will likely mean the end of a dog-rescue operation that was being run out of a Main Street residence. The resident has volunteered with the St. Bernard Rescue Foundation to save dogs that may have otherwise been euthanized and shelter them until a new owner can be found.
This operation is certainly a beneficial one, and the resident, Gail Drysdale, should be praised for her efforts. However, to be fair to neighbors, restrictions must be in place so that such operations go through the proper channels before they can be allowed. Drysdale should be allowed to seek permission from the land-use board, which can review the operation on its own merits.
The council did grant some relief to the resident, throwing in a grandfather clause that will allow her to keep the number of dogs she now has as pets.
The governing body made the right decision, and thus set the rules in place regarding these issues in the event that similar situations arise in the future.