Round Rock City Council approved an amendment to the City’s code of ordinances on April 13 that will require commercial facilities that offer 24-hour animal housing or care to install a monitored fire alarm system, as well as a fire sprinkler system if any square footage or height is added to the facility.

This amendment to the code of ordinances aims to ensure the safety of animals in these facilities, according to Round Rock Fire Department Chief Shane Glaiser.

Any 24-hour animal housing and care facility built after the adoption of the amendment must now be equipped with a monitored sprinkler and detection system regardless of square footage. Existing businesses that meet the criteria for necessary changes will be given two years to come into compliance with the newly amended ordinance to allow for plan review and acceptance, installation and budgeting.

Round Rock Fire Department officials identified 23 existing businesses in the city as an animal housing or care facility, four of which will need to install an alarm system within the next two years under the ordinance.

A required second reading and vote on the ordinance will take place at the April 13 City Council meeting. The redlined version of the ordinance amendments can be found here.