Kingston officials declare dogs vicious

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Kingston officials declare dogs vicious
By: ANNE PICKERING, Roane Newspapers



A group of Kingston show dogs that have never bitten or injured anyone have been declared vicious under a new city ordinance.

How city officials arrived at their assessment raised the eyebrows of one longtime area animal control officer.

The Rottweilers owned by Jan and Pete Keenan on West Ridgecrest Drive were investigated last week after a complaint was filed by a neighbor.

The Keenans received word of the determination this week in a letter from interim city manager Jim Pinkerton.

The investigation, which was conducted by Kingston Police Investigator Pete Stinnett, cites several visits to the Keenan's home where he observed the dogs in their fenced backyard.

Two months ago, Stinnett said he visited the home and saw approximately six Rottweilers in the backyard acting in an aggressive manner such as charging the fence where they could see him.

On Nov. 5, Stinnett went to the same address and observed three large dogs in their fenced back yard and the dogs showed no aggressive behavior.

Stinnett said in his report that he met last week with the owner, who showed him documentation that her dogs had been trained as show dogs and had trophies and ribbons.

He asked to see the two Rottweilers interact with a mixed-breed chow the Keenans also keep on their property.

Stinnett's report said he heard dogs fighting and observed the Rottweiler biting the smaller mixed-breed dog on the neck. The Rottweiler would not let the dog loose until Mrs. Keenan intervened, he wrote. The dog wasn't harmed.

Stinnett said in his report that he felt the dogs were vicious, but added, "I do not have formal training in dogs, but I have been a supervisor over canine sections and they were vicious police dogs. And so my opinion is based on knowledge of what a vicious dog is."

However, Brian Porter, a long-time Oak Ridge animal control officer, said it is highly unlikely these dogs are vicious and said the declaration was probably being made because of a misunderstanding of dog behavior.

The dogs have been under investigation ever since neighbor Sherry Oran complained to the city about them last summer.

After the vicious dog ordinance went into effect, Oran filed a sworn complaint against them.

In her complaint, Oran said the dogs are dangerous and a nuisance.

She said the dogs got loose on June 20 and "prevented her from leaving her house to take care of yard chores."

"In addition to the aggressive nature of these dogs," her complaint said, "they create a nuisance with their loud barking and prevent me from full use of my property when they are out in their pen."

The Keenans said their dogs only got loose once from their fenced backyard, and that was when a tree fell and knocked down part of the fence.

Neighbor Bill Ledford said he called Jan Keenan at work when he saw the dogs were out and she was there to gather them within about 10 minutes.

"The dogs are never let out," Ledford said.

The Keenans said they would appeal the decision.

[Wookie'sMom]

"I do not have formal training in dogs, but I have been a supervisor over canine sections and they were vicious police dogs. And so my opinion is based on knowledge of what a vicious dog is."

Since when are police dogs vicious? I thought that they were supposed to be well trained so that they could be in public without hurting the general public. Sounds like he's a real "expert".