Vicious Dog Ordinance-Sulpher, Louisiana

Wording in Sulphur's vicious dog ordinance allows an animal to attack twice before being deemed a threat, something Councilwoman Nancy Tower would like to see amended. "We're simply going to change that now to where one bite meets the definition of vicious."

The issue is causing heated controversy between those who've been on the wrong end of a charging dog and those who say they're rights will be violated if pit bulls and other breeds are banned. But Tower says there has been some common ground throughout the battle.

"With all of the animal owners that I have spoken to, the responsible animal owners will tell you if a dog has seriously injured someone they agree, in most cases that dog should be put down."

But they say, its not the breed but the deed that should be punished and many times that means the owner not the dog. "I want staking and chaining of animals to stop. The animal needs to have room to move. A lot of the biting situations that we've learned of were from animals who were staked and chained."

Chains that have been broken, putting the entire community in danger. Especially, Tower says, when the owner also hasn't lived up to other obligations. "Responsible pet owners realize that they have to treat their animals right, that they have to be careful with breeding and they have to be very careful of these folks who do dog fighting and we need to be investigating that greater."

Tower says she would also like to see revisions on the city's leash laws and at some point would like to add an ordinance giving the victim say in what happens to the dog following an attack.

Proposals on the vicious dog ordinance will be entered at Monday's regular agenda meeting and be brought up for approval in June. Monday's meeting gets underway at 5-30pm in Sulphur City Council Chambers.

http://www.kplctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=4871700&nav=0nqx

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