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Scott City to review dog codeTuesday, September 18, 2007
The Scott City Council will review the city's restrictions against
vicious dogs following an incident last week in which a pit bull in the
Cloverdale subdivision attacked and killed another animal.
A concerned neighbor living in the area where the attack occurred spoke
before the council at its Monday night meeting, stressing the need for
the city to do something more to stop vicious dogs on the loose before
more animals or even children are hurt.
The pit bull attack happened Sept. 11, when the dog owned by
Tammy Cotner killed a Chihuahua owned by a neighbor, Scott City
police chief Don Cobb said. Cotner was issued a summons for not
having the pit bull tied up, which followed a warning issued in
July for the same reason.
Cobb said his department commonly receives calls about
strays and dogs at large, but rarely gets calls about
attacks.
Dogs at large are considered nuisances under
city code, like high weeds, but Cobb said the
city issues far more summonses for
out-of-control grass. "But a high weed's not
going to bite you," he said.
During the discussion, council members,
Mayor Tim Porch and city attorney Frank
Siebert found several different sections
of the city code that apply to the
vicious dog issue.
Now the council's ordinance
committee, chaired by
councilwoman Leann Wilthong,
will examine those ordinances
and possibly draft an ordinance
to clear up the city code.
Scott City has no law
defining certain breeds
as "vicious," but city
code allows animals that
pose a threat to humans
or animals to be deemed
"vicious" by a
"licensing authority" --
the city. However the
code doesn't specify
where that authority
lies.
Vicious dogs are
required to be
secured in an
enclosure they
can't escape
from, inside a
home or tied up
to a leash no
longer than 6
feet under the
current code.
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