A straw poll of Baraboo City Council attitudes Tuesday evening found few officials interested in raising the number of dogs and cats allowed households are allowed.

During this week's council meeting, officials held a committee of the whole to allow a free-ranging discussion of how many animals should be living with local families. The issue was raised before the city's Administrative Committee when two newly blended families brought forward requests for permission to exceed the city's maximum of two dogs and/or two cats per residence. Both involved situations in which the couples and their children had three canines living with them.

Existing city rules allow the Administrative Committee to grant exceptions to the rule, but only for concerns such as medical need. In discussions among the Administrative Committee members, committee Chairman Gene Robkin has observed they received many messages in opposition to the change when he appealed for public comment in the past.

Robkin suggested a change is needed to allow more pets when new households are created when individuals who already have pets get married or begin living together.

"It seemed to me rigid enforcement of these rules would be problematical in this situation," he said. "My recommendation would be to allow such things as part of the ordinance, or something the Admin Committee could (allow) on its own."

Alderman Phil Wedekind said he hoped the city had been done with the issue when it was dropped earlier in the year. Many people have contacted him opposing the change.

"People are really adamant about having three dogs in the neighborhood," he said. "They'll live with two, they would prefer one."

Many people would accept allowing more cats if they are kept in the home all day, Wedekind said. However, dogs must be let out each day and they bark, he said.

"I think anytime you allow more variance (from the existing limit), you open that can of worms a little more," Wedekind said.

Alderwoman Elizabeth Brickl was among those saying the city should not expand the allowed number of dogs or cats in homes. She said allowing an exception for blended families would be a bad example for non-blended households that have puppies and can't part with them, or who go to the animal shelter and see a dog they want to take home.

"I've already been quoted in the paper saying, one dog per household, on a leash in your yard," Brickl said. "It should stay exactly how it is."

Justin Huelsemann, animal control manager for the Humane Society, appealed to committee members to allow more flexibility. Society staff members see blended families who are giving up one or more of their pets to comply with the rules and "it's heart-breaking," he said.

"Maybe you should allow more cats per house," Huelsemann said. "If somebody doesn't like dogs, why can't they have four cats? Cats are quieter, they don't create a mess," he said.

"I have a problem with cats that are let outside," said Mayor Patrick Liston. "As far as I'm concerned, one cat let outside is one cat too many."

Liston added, if cats are kept inside, he doesn't care how many a household has.

After discussion went around the room a few times, Liston asked for an informal raising of hands as to who wanted to change the existing limits and who wanted to see them expanded. Only aldermen Robkin and Joel Petty indicated their desire to see a change in the status quo.

Alderman Olaf Kivioja did not attend Tuesday's meeting and Alderman Brett Topham left before discussion of the pets issue.

"I think we got the direction on that," Liston said after the informal poll, "no change in the ordinance."