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Senath City Attorney, Johnny Dalton, recently read the ordinance by title only at the Senath City Council meeting hosted on Monday.
Dalton later explained the ordinance, informing the council that the term "Pit-bull dog" can define a Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Pit-bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, or any mix breed including a type of these breeds. He added that dogs with defining characteristics of these animals can also be considered pit-bull dogs.
The ordinance states that the keeping of any pit-bull dog, including for temporary time periods, will be considered illegal, according to Dalton.
"If the ordinance is approved following the restraint requirement and other stipulations involved with the dangerous dog ordinance will not matter," Dalton said. "If ticketed for this crime, someone can not say that they have it in a proper pen or muzzled, because just being in town is a violation of the ordinance as it has been proposed."
Dalton added that if the owner or keeper of the dog that has been designated or prohibited is unable or unwilling to comply with the ordinance then the animal will either be euthanized or adopted out.
Alderman John Holmes asked Dalton who would make the final determination on the mixed dogs.
Dalton informed Holmes and the council that the final decision will be the judge's decision in the municipal court.
Mayor Joe Lane noted that the city should give a certain amount of time to individuals owning the dogs in town to comply with the ordinance if it is passed in October.
"I think that if we approve the ordinance in October we should probably give people until November 1 to comply," Lane said.
Dalton explained to the council that the ordinance will be subject to the maximum fine of any other ordinance which is $500 or 90 days in jail or both.
"The way the ordinance is written every day constitutes a different violation," Dalton said. "So theoretically a month of noncompliance would be the equivalent of $500 and 90 days multiplied by 30.
Comments
I took one of my dogs (not a pit) to the vet in our area yesterday, and both the vet and her assistant said that ALL the bites they've had this year (about 6) have been from very small dogs. They've never been bitten by a pit bull.
Of course, Peta is of the opinion that they should all be euthanized, simply because of the way that too many people abuse them and make them mean.
Tough issue.
Goat Lady -- why on earth is City Attorney Dalton so anxious to do away with Pit Bulls in Senath? Is there a HUGE problem with irresponsible owners or does he just not like any dog that 'looks' like a bully?
What type of Gestapo tactics will small town Senath try next? This is as convoluted as the NO bench in a park rule that divided Senath several years back, best be glad that I no longer reside there and own these breeds that are great pets or I am sure that litigaion against Mr Dalton and the City would follow, how embarassing it will be for freedom should this ordinance be allowed to pass,,I guess the next silly law should be no uneducated folks on the Silly council. Do the right thing and punish bad behavior of the owners, not the breed in entirety!
The City of Senath needs to look at the ordinances already on their books concerning animal control. If the ordinances are not being enforced, there is no real point in enacting any more. Laws do not have to be breed specific to be effective. If pet owners are not keeping their dogs at home, running at large and leash laws will address all owners. If animals are acting in an aggressive or threatening manner, then all incidents should be judged case by case. The point of animal control ordinances is not only to protect the public, but to protect companion animals. The irresponsible owners are a threat to both. Ordinances need to address the real issue, the human owner. You can ban all dogs, but these individuals will still be a problem to your community. These people do not appreciate being citizens and they have no regard for their pets.
I was a Senath resident for the first 18 years of my life and I am currently an Animal Cruelty Investigator for Dallas Animal Services in Texas. I can strongly say and with much experience that banning breeds will never work. Any dog, no matter the breed, has the potential to be or become dangerous if not cared for or socialized properly. That is why we must focus more on educating the owners on spay/neutering, proper confinement, tethering, vaccinating and overall responsible pet ownership, espcially in our school systems. To be able to accomplish this you must have the staffing and proper training for your officers. Ban pitbulls now and what will be next status symbol to have, Rottweillers, Dobermans, Chow Chows? They also can be dangerous if not cared for and/or socialized properly. As a three year veteran field officer in a city where we impound just under 40,000 animals a year (an average of 100 animals a day), I have had more difficulties dealing with Chows and with small breeds such as Chihuahuas or Min Pins. With this in mind, please think carefully of what you are really trying to accomplish with this action. I urge you to think of the distant future and of the complications that can and will arise from such actions.
Thank you,
Mindy Sewell,
Animal Cruelty Investigator
Dallas Animal Service
1818 N. Westmoreland
Dallas, TX 75212
dallasanimalservices.org
I really think as an opinion that making Pit-bulls illegal is not something that lots of people like. Most people has a sterio type about pitbulls saying things like pitbulls are vicous and is a wild animal, but some pitbulls or any dog is trained liked that on purpose. People do not want to train them like that because they want too, but to help protect they're family. Instead of keeping a gun in your household to protect your famly from intruders they use a protect dog. Dogs bark alot and let they're masters know that they see someone so be careful. In stead of shoooting and killing someone when they come in your house unexpexted, they have a dog to catch the person, scare away, and alarm that there was a person that they do not know coming in and can try to harm you. Pit-bulls are energectic animals fun and loving mammals. They can enertain you keep you from being lonely. Thats not just pibulls it all kinds of dogs. Please let pit-bulls be legal so i can kepp mine. I am 12 years old and love my dog...