What S.F. could do to control vicious dogs

San Francisco, CA -- San Francisco officials should consider regulations to reduce threats posed by potentially vicious and dangerous dogs, including mandatory spaying and neutering, a prohibition on "backyard'' breeding, and a requirement that owners of certain canines secure liability insurance, a special mayoral task force recommended Friday.

Mayor Gavin Newsom convened a Canine Response Working Group in the days after the June 3 mauling death of 12-year-old Nicholas Faibish, who had been left alone in his Inner Sunset District home with his family's two pit bulls. Prosecutors are trying to determine whether to file child-endangerment or other criminal charges against the boy's mother, Maureen Faibish.

The working group's draft report, a copy of which was obtained by The Chronicle, lists a series of steps the city could take to help prevent dog-related injuries.

Newsom, who declined to address specifics in the draft report, said Friday that he is reviewing the recommendations in detail and plans to announce early next week how he wants to proceed -- "what we can do through administrative efforts, what we can do legislatively and what we may or may not have to do at the state level.''

Newsom would not say what course he is likely to pursue. But he added: "This is not an effort in futility. This report is an actionable report.''

The working group, made up of the city attorney, animal care and control director, police chief, fire chief, public health director, parks chief and Supervisor Bevan Dufty, looked at what other cities and states are doing to regulate dogs.

The group gave the mayor a variety of options and called for a change in state law that now prohibits breed-specific regulations. It recommended that cities and counties be able to pass breed-specific legislation "to address public safety and welfare concerns,'' provided that no specific breed is banned. More than half the 120 to 150 vicious and dangerous dog cases adjudicated in San Francisco every year involve pit bulls and pit bull mixes.

The mayor's panel also suggests the city consider:

Requiring that all or some dogs be spayed or neutered as early as 10 weeks but no later than 12 months of age. Dogs that haven't been neutered or spayed have been shown to be more aggressive than those that have been.

Requiring microchip identification of all vicious and dangerous breeds.

Outlawing "backyard'' breeding and only allowing people with licenses to breed dogs within city limits. In addition, breeders without licenses could be barred from advertising the sale of their dogs.

Increasing penalties for dog regulation violations, including failure to register a dog. The revenue would help pay for enforcement of the laws. Currently, of the estimated 120,000 dogs in San Francisco, only about 10 percent are licensed.

Requiring owners of certain vicious and dangerous dogs to obtain liability insurance. Such a requirement would ensure that mauling victims had the option to file claims for injuries and other losses.

Among other suggestions the working group says should be considered are mandatory obedience training and a tax on animal breeders and pet products to fund low-cost spay and neuter programs and animal enforcement efforts.

In addition, the working group said more immediate steps can be taken to help prevent attacks, including enacting a school-based program that teaches youths how to safely live and play with animals, and mandating that all dog-bite cases be reported to San Francisco's animal care and control agency.

E-mail Rachel Gordon at rgordon@sfchronicle.com.