ALERT: McFarland, Kansas

[Baxter's Mom]

Information provided by Jodi Preis at Bless the Bullies

McFarland council considers banning vicious dog breeds, enforcement of leash law
By Sarah Gooding
for The Wabaunsee County Signal-Enterprise

ALMA, Kansas (STPNS) --

A proposal last month to limit certain breeds of dogs within McFarland city limits caused quite a few growls around town.

Several concerned residents, armed with a petition and about 40 signatures obtained during two days of circulation, attended Thursday’s council meeting to ask the council to rethink its idea.

Council members, in turn, tried to explain that the initial proposal’s bark is worse than the bite actually will be.

However, it took several rounds for the two sides to reach an understanding.

Taking note of the crowd at the beginning of the meeting, Mayor Perry Piper asked who would like to speak.

“I think I can speak for most of us here,” Sandy Dillingham said. “I’m kind of concerned about this dog law you’re trying to pass. I guess it’s very broad.”

She said she has concerns with the fact a number of breeds including German Shepherds, are listed as dogs that may be banned from town.

“I don’t think its right to make them give up their pets,” she said.

Council Member Cliff Hund said the council did jump before doing research in making a proposal that included 13 different breeds. He said since then council members have spoken with a local vet, who recommended proceeding with an ordinance regarding three types of dogs – wolf-hybrids, pit bulls and Rottweilers.

“The reasoning behind it is because of how that dog is bred and the strength of when they bite,” he said.

Resident Lori Holladay said she did research prior to the meeting and found articles that cited that these kinds of dogs are taught, not bred, to be aggressive.

Resident Julie TenEyck added that the council had overstepped it’s bounds.

“Who in this room is qualified to say what your dog is ½ or ¼ of?” she asked. “You guys are going way overboard.”

City Clerk Effa Winkler reiterated that since the last meeting the council had consulted with a local vet, who indicated concern with the three varieties of dogs.

“Their jaw structure is where if they bite you they can really rip you apart,” she said.

TenEyck asked if there had been problems with these kinds of dogs, to which Piper said there have been concerns with pit bulls running loose in areas where young children live.

Resident Tim Snowden asked council members how informed they really are.

“As of today, how many loose dogs do we have running around town?” he asked, to which Piper answered that he did not know an exact count due to the fact that dogs on the move or behind buildings made an exact count difficult.

“I’m saying this council is not effective,” TIM said, adding that he counted 10 dogs on the loose. “This council has lost control. You don’t even know what’s going on.”

Resident Kathy Sacrider said she owns a pit bull, but her dog is inside unless she is out with it, and then it is on a leash. She asked if the current ordinance passed if she would be required to give up her dog.

Councilwoman Connie Havenstein said she has grandchildren locally and would prefer to see all of the breeds banned outright, but added that she understands dogs are members of the family, and said she would like to see a provision made for current pet owners.

Hund added that if an ordinance were adopted it would have stringent standards for keeping breeds listed.

“Here’s what these towns that have adopted this ordinance say,” he said. “You will keep that dog confined indoors or in a pen.”

He said a pen would have to meet specific criteria, including having a fence buried two feet under the ground, a top and a padlock.

Owners also would have to meet other criteria, including standards for leashes and muzzles, insurance policies and registration.

He reminded residents that this is all proposed, not passed.

“No. one, we haven’t passed an ordinance. We haven’t even prepared anything for it,” he said, adding that point No. 2 is that the council needs to research the situation in depth prior to arriving at a conclusion.

Snowden said some local dogs are antagonized by local children throwing rocks and snowballs or doing other things to the animals.

“You stick your arm over that yard and guess what, you may get what you deserve, but that’s his home,” he said.

Hund said that that sort of situation is looked at differently in cities with ordinances, bring up the question from TenEyck of, “Who defines a vicious dog?” to which Winkler said they have been consulting Dr. Jon Pachta.

“I think every dog should be contained,” Dillingham said.

Snowden added that the city needs to issue a sheet with basic information and ordinances to every new family as they move in.

One other resident said the problem in town isn’t the dogs.

“I’d like to suggest there’s never been a dog problem,” he said. “There’s a people problem ... Does the council have the ability to enforce laws?”

Winkler said the council may take action, but only after a complaint has been signed and filed – something many residents are unwilling to do.

Hund said many times he is asked to sign complaints, but this often requires the special effort of tracking down the violation in order to be a witness.

“The neighbor won’t sign the complaint because they don’t want to make their neighbor mad,” he said.

Amidst other discussion, Winkler advocated that a number of problems with dogs running lose could be fixed if people would sign complaints.

STPNS - McFarland council considers banning vicious dog breeds, enforcement of leash law, Alma, Kansas


CONTACT INFO

Forward corresondence to the city council to the city clerk's e-mail address

City of McFarland
City Clerk
Phone: (785) 765-2265
awinkler@kansas.net

[divinity]

“Their jaw structure is where if they bite you they can really rip you apart,” she said.


I get a little tired of hearing this. Any animal can rip you up pretty good if they have a good bite on you. If someone grabbed me I'm sure if I bit down hard enough I could tear a good piece off them, ya know. I just pray they don't try to ban Rotties here in Topeka. It's a shame Pitts are already banned.

[pjlucas]

I don't believe Pitts are banned in Topeka, KS. I work with a couple of people who have Pitt bulls. They must be registered and the officals come and inspect your place. They are banned in Osage county (south of Topeka) along with and breed used for fighting.