Rogers City Council votes today on vicious-dog amendment
Posted on Tuesday, August 14, 2007
ROGERS — A proposed amendment to a Rogers ordinance would prevent residents from keeping vicious dogs within city limits.
The measure, which removes conditions under which owners can keep such dogs, is up for vote at tonight’s City Council meeting.
Rhonda DiBasilio, the city’s animal shelter manager, requested the amendment, which does not target any specific breed of animal.
She said the change would put more responsibility on dog owners and more emphasis on the public’s safety.
DiBasilio, who took over the shelter in January, said dogs that would be affected are those deemed vicious by the court because of a proven, unprovoked attack or dogs trained to fight.
Currently, residents can keep a vicious dog as long as the dog is contained and is on a leash and muzzled when outside. Owners also must post a sign warning that the dog is there and must obtain additional liability insurance.
The amendment will remove those conditions and require owners to move, get rid of or euthanize the dog, she said.
City Attorney Ben Lipscomb said a July 4 attack on a 3-year-old girl brought the ordinance up for scrutiny.
The dog that attacked the girl, biting her face and causing severe injury, belonged to her family. The family put the animal down, Lipscomb said, but there was nothing to say the family had to get rid of it.
“If the court deems your dog vicious, it’s gone. It seems like the prudent thing to do,” he said.
DiBasilio said the shelter will investigate every attack or bite. A judge will look at the circumstances that led to the bite as well as the severity of the injury before declaring the dog vicious.
“A dog is going to sit and protect its property,” she said. “If he’s growling and barking behind a fence, he was just doing his job.”
Several Arkansas towns, including Pine Bluff, North Little Rock, McGehee, Stuttgart, Maumelle, Hot Springs and Russellville, have banned pit bulls.
A proposed amendment to Pulaski County’s ordinance would require dog owners to register their animal with the county’s animal control if the dog has been deemed vicious in another county. The dog also must be tattooed with an identification number.
The proposed change was suggested after an 11-year-old boy was attacked by a dog that had been deemed vicious by another county.
DiBasilio said the amended ordinance in Rogers prevents a specific type of dog from being targeted.
“Bites are not breed-specific,” she said. A lot of a dog’s demeanor is trained, she said. But once a dog is deemed vicious, owners will have 30 days to remove or euthanize the animal. An owner who does not follow the ordinance can be fined $ 100 to $ 500 and charged with a misdemeanor. The animal also will be taken into custody and destroyed.
To contact this reporter: aotoole@arkansasonline. com
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