WINONA, Minnesota – The Winona County Board coted 3-2 to ban large dog breeding operations after years of persistent citizen alarm about animal welfare. Commissioners were unsure, however, about how to word an ordinance that permits small kennels but not large ones. They decided to delay final enactment until a new director of county planning is hired. The position is currently vacant, but the hope is to have someone on board in January to draft the commissioners’ intent into legal language. The drafting challenge: How big is too big? Some federal and state regulated dog-breeders in the state have 1,000 animals. Winona County has 12 breeding kennels, mostly Amish enterprises around Utica. The largest is thought to have 80 adult dogs How the County Board voted:
For ban
Chris Meyer (District 1, Winona Eat Side and neighboring south townships)
Greg Olson (District 4, central Winona)
Dwayne Voegeli (District 2, Goodview and Winona West Side)
Against ban
Josh Elsing (District 3, Altura, Elba, Rollingstone, St. Charles, Minnesota City, Stockton, and north and west townships)
Marcia Ward (District 5, Dakota, Dresbach, LaCrescent, Lewiston, Utica and south townships)