Vicious dogs to be euthanized, under proposal
By Lynn Zerschling, Journal staff writer | Posted: Saturday, March 01, 2008
SIOUX CITY -- It'll be bye bye for Bongo the pooch if he bites a person in an unprovoked attack.
Councilman Brent Hoffman said Friday he is proposing that any animal declared vicious within the city limits must be put to sleep.
Currently, a pet owner has two options on how to handle an animal declared vicious -- either place the animal in a home outside the city limits or allow the animal to be euthanized. The ordinance change will be discussed by the council Monday.
"Citizens are concerned about our policy allowing vicious dogs just to be transferred to the county or outlying towns," Hoffman said Friday. "For an animal to be declared 'vicious,' it must have attacked someone without being provoked. While I love dogs -- we have two -- we must hold the dogs and owners responsible while protecting the public.
"Allowing owners to just relocate the dog merely transfers the threat to others, opens the city to liability and risks a much greater tragedy that could be prevented," he stated.
Hoffman proposed the change, not the city's contractor for Animal Control.
"We probably have had five or six dogs declared vicious this year," owner Cindy Rarrat said. "That means they have bitten someone and it's an unprovoked bite. Some were removed from the city limits and some owners had them put down."
The animals were all dogs of different breeds.
Rarrat said it is becoming more difficult for a pet owner to find a new home for their pet because an increasing number of towns and counties are refusing to allow those animals in their jurisdictions.
"They don't want the liability," she stated. "Once your animal has bitten someone and caused injuries, it has become a liability issue and you're giving it to somebody else. It's like you have a car whose engine has blown up and you sell it, saying there's nothing really wrong with the car. Then the engine blows up for the new owner and they come back to you and say, 'You knew.' "
The revised law adopted by the council in 2005 states, "All owners of an animal, whether licensed or unlicensed, which have been declared a vicious animal ...are required to authorize the euthanasia of the animal or cause the animal to be removed from the city limits of Sioux City and banned from returning. If the animal is removed form the city, the animal will be microchipped, at the owner's expense, for future identification."
Animal Control must confirm where the animal is placed. Animals who have been declared vicious and found back in the city will be seized and put to death, according to the present ordinance.
Lynn Zerschling may be reached at (712) 293-4202 or lynn.zerschling@lee.net
Councilman Brent Hoffman said Friday he is proposing that any animal declared vicious within the city limits must be put to sleep.
Currently, a pet owner has two options on how to handle an animal declared vicious -- either place the animal in a home outside the city limits or allow the animal to be euthanized. The ordinance change will be discussed by the council Monday.
"Citizens are concerned about our policy allowing vicious dogs just to be transferred to the county or outlying towns," Hoffman said Friday. "For an animal to be declared 'vicious,' it must have attacked someone without being provoked. While I love dogs -- we have two -- we must hold the dogs and owners responsible while protecting the public.
"Allowing owners to just relocate the dog merely transfers the threat to others, opens the city to liability and risks a much greater tragedy that could be prevented," he stated.
Hoffman proposed the change, not the city's contractor for Animal Control.
"We probably have had five or six dogs declared vicious this year," owner Cindy Rarrat said. "That means they have bitten someone and it's an unprovoked bite. Some were removed from the city limits and some owners had them put down."
The animals were all dogs of different breeds.
Rarrat said it is becoming more difficult for a pet owner to find a new home for their pet because an increasing number of towns and counties are refusing to allow those animals in their jurisdictions.
"They don't want the liability," she stated. "Once your animal has bitten someone and caused injuries, it has become a liability issue and you're giving it to somebody else. It's like you have a car whose engine has blown up and you sell it, saying there's nothing really wrong with the car. Then the engine blows up for the new owner and they come back to you and say, 'You knew.' "
The revised law adopted by the council in 2005 states, "All owners of an animal, whether licensed or unlicensed, which have been declared a vicious animal ...are required to authorize the euthanasia of the animal or cause the animal to be removed from the city limits of Sioux City and banned from returning. If the animal is removed form the city, the animal will be microchipped, at the owner's expense, for future identification."
Animal Control must confirm where the animal is placed. Animals who have been declared vicious and found back in the city will be seized and put to death, according to the present ordinance.
Lynn Zerschling may be reached at (712) 293-4202 or lynn.zerschling@lee.net
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gorodeo wrote on Mar 3, 2008 9:41 AM:
dog wrote on Mar 2, 2008 8:27 AM:
Dick wrote on Mar 2, 2008 12:44 AM:
Dee wrote on Mar 1, 2008 1:18 PM:
It's such a shame that innocent animals have to be slaughtered because of the stupidity of humans. "
not my dog wrote on Mar 1, 2008 9:13 AM: