City considers ordinance for `vicious' breeds

[Eros]

Story is below. Please note, Linda Muegel, a Catawba Animal Clinic veterinarian said, "Any dog can become mean." I hope lawmakers could realize this someday...

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New dog rules on agenda
City considers ordinance for `vicious' breeds
AIMEE JUAREZ
ajuarez@charlotteobserver.com

ROCK HILL - Pit bull and Rottweiler owners within city limits could face fines or arrests if a new "vicious dogs" ordinance is approved by the Rock Hill city council in two weeks.

The ordinance is based on a series of resident complaints about these types of dogs running loose in neighborhoods.

The ordinance would require residents who own the breeds to keep them locked inside a cage at all times. If the dogs are let out, they must be on a leash and muzzled. And they can be handled only by an adult who is at least 18.

Council member Jim Reno said he began receiving the calls late last year from residents concerned about the safety of their children and elderly residents, along with the well-being of these dogs.

"We're not banning the breeds, but are asking for safer and better conditions for the dogs," said Ray Koterba, director of Rock Hill Housing and Neighborhood Services.

Cities in California, Colorado and Ohio have similar ordinances, said Catawba Animal Clinic veterinarian Linda Muegel.

While Muegel said the Rock Hill residents' fear about the dogs running loose together in packs is justified, she said aggression is not breed-specific.

"Any dog can become mean," she said. "It's a combination of things -- personality, environment, training and genetics."

Koterba said the ordinance is a preventive measure.

"We're trying to be proactive," he said. "Do we have to wait till the dog bites somebody?"

Muegel said the ordinance should not be breed-specific and should focus on a broader scope, including the well-being of the animals.

Reno said city officials would tackle enforcement by coordinating with York County Animal Control. Exact penalties have not been determined.

"The ordinance does a good job of balancing the safety issues that pertain to the citizens as well as the humane treatment of the animals," he said.

Proposed Dog Law

The proposed ordinance is limited to pit bulls and Rottweilers:

• Owners must keep each of their pit bulls and Rottweilers in separate, securely locked pens or kennels that have walls at least 6 feet high and are at least 100 square feet. The pen or kennel must have a top and bottom so the dog can't climb or dig its way out.

• The pen or kennel must be ventilated and kept clean and sanitary. The dogs cannot be kept on a porch, patio or in a house where they may escape.

• If the dog is taken out of its pen or kennel, it must be on a six-foot leash and muzzled. And it can be handled only by an adult who is at least 18.

• Owners are required to carry liability insurance in case the dog bites.

[fbkeays]

Originally Posted by Eros

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New dog rules on agenda
City considers ordinance for `vicious' breeds
AIMEE JUAREZ
ajuarez@charlotteobserver.com

ROCK HILL - Pit bull and Rottweiler owners within city limits could face fines or arrests if a new "vicious dogs" ordinance is approved by the Rock Hill city council in two weeks.


Cities in California, Colorado and Ohio have similar ordinances, said Catawba Animal Clinic veterinarian Linda Muegel.

I wish that people would get their facts straight before being quoted. California DOES NOT have such ordinances. It is against state law to single out breeds for anything except spay and neuter and that law is only 3 months old. California cities might have such rules for dogs that have demostrated that they are dangerous or vicious, but that would apply to all/any breed so deemed by its actions, and not by what kind of fur it has.