RENO, NV - The existing rules haven’t been modified since 2005. Animal Control says if approved, new ordinances will help reunite owners with their dogs sooner, and they in turn can save you money.

At the dog park near Virginia Lake, dogs run wild, they play with other's dogs...to the delight of their owners. Kim Doyle has a dog babysitting service. She says it just makes sense.

“I have my 2 microchipped, and I'd love the idea of someone knowing exactly where to bring my dog. It helps me. My dog can't pick up the phone and call me,” says Doyle.

Animal Control officers say they many times pick up a dog with no identification. That's when they'll bring the animal to the Washoe County Animal Services and wait for the owner to claim it. Under proposed regulations, when the owner comes to Animal Control, the owner will be required to pay a small fee to have the dog microchipped:

“We do everything we can reasonably to get this animal home rather than bring it in. If we are having to bring it in, then we believe that we need to get the animal microchipped so it doesn't happen again,” says Mitch Schneider of Animal Control.

Schneider says there are other proposals designed to make the agency work more efficiently. They include de-criminalizing many infractions to simple civil actions. That means fines can be paid instead of having to go to court.

Dog licensing will be made easier with lifetime licenses or licenses good for three years so the licenses can coincide with rabies shots.

For residents who want to own 4 or 5 dogs--property must be inspected, the dogs must be spayed or neutered, microchipped, and not more than one dog can have a violation in the past year.

The County Commission will have final say on these proposed regulations, and they will see them for the first time during their March meeting. But until then you are encouraged to look up the regulations yourself, and add your questions and concerns.