City Adopts New Dog Ordinance, Leavenworth, Tx

[Rene Allegrini]

City adopts new dog ordinance


By KRISTIN SULLIVAN, Times Staff Writer
Published: Friday, September 29, 2006 9:24 AM CDT

After years of debating the topic, the Leavenworth City Commission stiffened the regulations for aggressive dogs Tuesday at its regular meeting.

Maj. Pat Kitchens, deputy police chief, informed the commission that the new ordinance will allow animal control officers to take action against dogs deemed dangerous before they attack a human or another animal.

The city’s previous ordinance for vicious dogs only applied to instances in which a dog harmed a human or another animal.


The Leavenworth Police Department crafted the new ordinance in response to the commission’s directions to be more “proactive” toward dangerous dogs.

Leavenworth’s new ordinance is modeled after an ordinance in Lawrence, Kitchens reported.

The ordinance is designed to be tough on irresponsible owners, commissioners said at previous meetings. It is not breed-specific.



According to the new ordinance, “dangerous dogs” include dogs “with a known propensity, tendency or disposition to attack, to cause injury or otherwise threaten the safety of human beings or domestic animals.” It also includes any dog “which in a vicious or threatening manner approaches any person in apparent attack upon the person.”

Exceptions in the ordinance include dogs that are acting aggressively in self-defense or defense of their owner or property.

Mayor Laura Janas Gasbarre applauded the ordinance, saying that it will empower letter carriers, meter readers and other residents to report dogs that are threatening.



Dogs that are reported as threatening may be subject to “temperament testing” by a person certified in the test, according to the new ordinance.

If found dangerous, strict registration and confinement will be required for the dog. Violations of the requirements may lead to mandatory euthanization.

The new ordinance also increases the penalties for owners of animals at large, particularly aggressive animals at large.



It also includes the possibility of mandatory jail time for repeat offenders of aggressive animals at large.

Commissioner Brian Grittmann said that a tougher ordinance will lead to the seizure of more dogs.

The Leavenworth Animal Control Shelter is already full, he said.



In order to accommodate more dogs at the shelter, animals from outside the city should be turned away or the shelter should be expanded.

He emphasized that the ordinance will be effective only so far as it is enforced.

“We need to have animal control 24 (hours a day), 7 (days a week),” Grittmann said.



The commission will meet in a study session at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 3 at city hall.

[LavenderRott]

Exceptions in the ordinance include dogs that are acting aggressively in self-defense or defense of their owner or property.

Mayor Laura Janas Gasbarre applauded the ordinance, saying that it will empower letter carriers, meter readers and other residents to report dogs that are threatening.

Did I miss something?

[wHO dAT]

and just think whats worse is your tax dollars funded the law making process because of the irresponsible actions of the owners of dogs.

and yet socioty keeps helping stupid people to survive.

[graureiter]

Originally Posted by Rene Allegrini

City adopts new dog ordinance

Snip, snip.

According to the new ordinance, “dangerous dogs” include dogs “with a known propensity, tendency or disposition to attack, to cause injury or otherwise threaten the safety of human beings or domestic animals.”

It also includes any dog “which in a vicious or threatening manner approaches any person in apparent attack upon the person.”

Snip, snip.

All of this looks rather vague to me .

My Greyhounds have a tendency to chase and catch small animals, a Golden Retriever could threaten the safety of a person by jumping while greeting.

And who is going to judge what constitutes a " viciuos and threatening manner" ?

The accusation of " viciousness " can become a self fulfilling prophecy if the person administering the " Temperament Test " uses a incorrect method or is prejudiced against the breed. Conciously or not.

[jakesfostermom]

I hope that staff writer missed the mark in trying to correctly reflect this story........that piece comes across poorly, whether by the result of writer mistakes, or the people she was taking direct information from.........