Animal shelter to urge dog law

The board called a special meeting to address concerns about dangerous dogs because of the Nov. 12 mauling of Jennifer Lowe at a West Knox County trailer. Lowe was killed by at least two pit bull dogs owned by her roommate.

 

One of the recommended changes could have saved Lowe's life if it had been in place last month.

 

Three days before her death, Knox County animal control officers had visited the Sam Lee Road trailer where Charles Smallwood lived with his pit bull dogs. The two adult dogs had been declared dangerous in August after they attacked another dog.

 

That designation mandated Smallwood, 25, either have the dog in the trailer, in a caged enclosure or on a leash. On Nov. 9, animal control officers found Smallwood frolicking with the dogs in the yard without a leash.

 

Under a proposed ordinance endorsed by the 10 animal shelter board members, the officers could have seized the dangerous dogs and issued Smallwood a citation for failure to comply with county rules. The dogs would have been held until a hearing was held on the citation.

 

"The way the ordinance is now, they couldn't touch those dogs," said Tim Adams, executive director of the Young-Williams Animal Shelter. "If they'd had this ordinance, they could have picked those two dogs up."

 

While the board members unanimously agreed that Knox County should adopt the much stricter dog ordinances used by the city, the group was sharply divided on the concept of a breed-specific law targeting pit bull dogs.

 

A legislative committee headed by Mark Jones, who serves on the board and is director of the Knox County Health Department, drew up the proposed changes on dangerous dogs and pit bull dogs.

 

Jones said his committee has tackled its mission "with the goal to make the city and county ordinances uniform and also to improve on those areas that can be improved."

 

Jones' four-person committee recommended that any pit bull dog found running loose must be spayed or neutered before it can be reclaimed by its owner.

 

"Knowing the propensity of pit bulls for aggression, I don't think a requirement for the breed to be spayed or neutered on the first pick is a burden," Jones told the board.

 

While board members seemed in agreement that altering a dog can help reduce aggression, several balked at an ordinance targeting an individual breed.

 

"I'm very uncomfortable with any breed-specific legislation," said Kristi Lively, a veterinarian. Lively noted she's been bitten more often by chihuahuas than pit bull dogs in her practice.

Michael J. Blackwell, dean of the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, who is board chairman, said he wants ordinances "that are fair to all breeds."

 

"The majority of pit bull dogs are not dangerous or aggressive," Blackwell said.

 

"We have seen other breeds become poster dogs for the dangerous dogs," he said, adding that with Lowe's mauling death, pit bull dogs have become "the flavor of the month."

 

The proposal created by Jones' committee would have left the job of determining which dogs are pit bulls up to animal shelter employees.

 

While the United Kennel Club lists the American pit bull terrier as a breed, the American Kennel Club does not recognize the breed.

 

After hearing misgivings from several board members, Blackwell suggested Jones' committee revise its proposals to include mandatory microchipping of all breeds brought into the animal shelter by animal control officers. All breeds also would be subject to spaying or neutering the second time the animal was nabbed running loose, Blackwell said.

 

Jones said his group hopes to complete its review of all animal ordinances by early next year. Then the entire package of proposals will be taken before City Council and County Commission for adoption.

 

In the meantime, County Commission at its Dec. 17 meeting will be asked to consider adopting dangerous-dog ordinances that conform with city canine rules. A couple of proposed changes to city ordinances will be presented in January to City Council.

 

Proposed ordinance changes for the county include designating a dog a Level 1 or Level 2 danger. Owners of dangerous dogs would have to take measures ranging from spaying or neutering their animals to forced training designed to deal with canine behavior issues.

 

The proposed ordinance provides exemptions from those designations if the dog attacks a trespasser or burglar or someone who was teasing, tormenting or abusing the dog.

Don Jacobs may be reached at 865-342-6345.

 

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2007/dec/01/animal-shelter-to-urge-dog-law/