City’s pet licensing proposal still in limbo

As the proposal to allow for a license for pet breeding, as well as the keeping of more animals than the three currently allowed by city code that came within inches of becoming law in March of this year, appears to be in some kind of limbo. After it was tabled, and has not yet been rescheduled to come back before the city council, a related case recently came before the municipal court.

The proposal, which has been characterized as bringing the city into compliance with NRS 574.353 (which became law in 2011 but had never been addressed by the city council) says that the city must adopt an ordinance requiring breeders to have a city permit as well as a state license.

The defendant in the case, which originally included nine citations, was Khristi Ann Hutto.

The case as recorded in the court’s docket for May 2, 2024, shows only five citations, all for failure to have animals vaccinated for rabies. However, in the notes on the negotiations regarding the case, a total of nine cases are cited.

Sources have said that animal control has been building a case against Hutto for more than a year and that she was suspected of breeding and selling both dogs and cats out of two Boulder City properties.

Based on social media posts by Hutto and her husband, this appears to have been true as recently as January, when Hutto — posting in an account called Khristi Craft (Hutto) —appears to have offered a sphinx cat for sale for $2,500.

Other posts by Hutto’s husband, Jon Hutto, in social media groups dedicated to sphinx cats, appear to offer cats and dogs for sale.

The current law regarding breeding is less than clear. The Review reached out to the city for clarification from City Attorney Brittany Walker.

A city spokesperson, in a phone call, said that Walker would not comment because the case is ongoing.

When it was pointed out that no comment was being sought in the Hutto case and that all that was being requested was a clarification of the law, the administrative assistant for Acting City Manager Michael Mays said, in an email, that the city spokesperson was not available to answer the question and referred the Review to Title 7 of the Boulder City Code of Ordinances.

Title 7, Chapter 3 is part of the overall police regulations and sets out animal control laws in the city. It says that residents are not allowed to keep more than three adult animals plus any offspring under the age of six months of a permitted adult animal.

It says that breeders must have both a state license as well as a Boulder City business license. However, there does not appear to be a provision in the business license section for animal breeders.

Further, as well as mandating that all pets be vaccinated for rabies, all pets have to be spayed or neutered as appropriate to their gender.

But there is an exception for someone who has both a state breeder’s permit and a Boulder City business license.

Another part of the code says that all animals have to be registered with animal control and licensed and, according to animal control staff, they will not license an animal that is not spayed or neutered.

The Review was seeking clarification on these various parts of city code that appear to possibly be in conflict with one another but that information was not provided.

The case against Hutto on the rabies vaccinations resulted in a negotiation between city prosecutor ßThomas Moskal and local attorney Rod Woodbury.

Under the terms of the negotiated settlement, which was accepted by Judge Victor Miller on May 2, Hutto pleaded no contest on one count and paid a fine of $250.

As long as she has no further animal control citations in the next six months, the remaining eight cases would be dismissed.

If Hutto is cited again in the ensuing six month period, she would be adjudicated as guilty on the other counts and fined at the same rate per citation.

A status hearing has been scheduled for Nov. 7 at 8 a.m.