Shon
09-22-2004, 02:32 PM
Russellville’s City Commission unanimously passed second reading Tuesday night of an ordinance amendment barring dog owners from bringing their dogs to public events.
The amendment to the city’s 1971 dog control ordinance stems from dog fighting at last October’s Tobacco Heritage Festival, Russellville Police Chief James Pendergraff said.
“We had to ask several individuals to remove their dogs from the public square, and they did, but we felt an ordinance was appropriate to prevent such an incident from happening in the future,” he said. “These animals are in a strange environment, they’re easily excitable and we certainly wouldn’t want any child or adult to be injured.”
Jane Kisselbaugh, a Russellville resident who owns four dogs, said she could understand why the city felt the ordinance was needed.
“The only time I’ve ever had my dogs at public events is at a dog show,” she said. “I think it’s dangerous to take dogs to public events. A lot of children tend to run up to a dog and, of course, I would never want a child to run up unrestricted and be bitten by my dog.”
Kisselbaugh speaks from experience. As a child, she made the mistake of trying to pat a dog that was chewing on a bone.
“I was little. I wasn’t paying attention,” she said. “The owner didn’t say, ‘Leave the dog alone,’ and it took a chunk out of my arm. I went up to pat it and it was a normal dog reaction.”
Kisselbaugh’s experience, as well as being the mother of three children, has helped her keep her love of canines in focus. She said not everyone fulfills the requirements of a responsible dog owner, such as keeping the dog’s health and immunization records up to date, thereby adding to the risk factor of bringing dogs to public events.
“Of course, everyone feels their dogs are not a problem, but you have to get shots and that sort of thing,” she said. “It’s costly to do it right.”
Leo Brooks of Russellville agreed that the city could not discriminate between vicious dogs and nice dogs, such as his 5-year-old dachshund, Flo.
“She loves everybody. She don’t see no strangers,” Brooks said. “But then you’ve got your pit bulls and all that other people want to bring too, and (the city) can’t let some kinds of dogs come and not let some others. It’s discrimination, so they just made it so no dogs could come.”
Russellville Mayor Shirley Yassney said the ordinance amendment will help prevent dog fights at public events, often in the presence of children.
“We saw enough instances,” she said. “We knew, for the protection and safety of our citizens, we had to do something.”
The amendment to the city’s 1971 dog control ordinance stems from dog fighting at last October’s Tobacco Heritage Festival, Russellville Police Chief James Pendergraff said.
“We had to ask several individuals to remove their dogs from the public square, and they did, but we felt an ordinance was appropriate to prevent such an incident from happening in the future,” he said. “These animals are in a strange environment, they’re easily excitable and we certainly wouldn’t want any child or adult to be injured.”
Jane Kisselbaugh, a Russellville resident who owns four dogs, said she could understand why the city felt the ordinance was needed.
“The only time I’ve ever had my dogs at public events is at a dog show,” she said. “I think it’s dangerous to take dogs to public events. A lot of children tend to run up to a dog and, of course, I would never want a child to run up unrestricted and be bitten by my dog.”
Kisselbaugh speaks from experience. As a child, she made the mistake of trying to pat a dog that was chewing on a bone.
“I was little. I wasn’t paying attention,” she said. “The owner didn’t say, ‘Leave the dog alone,’ and it took a chunk out of my arm. I went up to pat it and it was a normal dog reaction.”
Kisselbaugh’s experience, as well as being the mother of three children, has helped her keep her love of canines in focus. She said not everyone fulfills the requirements of a responsible dog owner, such as keeping the dog’s health and immunization records up to date, thereby adding to the risk factor of bringing dogs to public events.
“Of course, everyone feels their dogs are not a problem, but you have to get shots and that sort of thing,” she said. “It’s costly to do it right.”
Leo Brooks of Russellville agreed that the city could not discriminate between vicious dogs and nice dogs, such as his 5-year-old dachshund, Flo.
“She loves everybody. She don’t see no strangers,” Brooks said. “But then you’ve got your pit bulls and all that other people want to bring too, and (the city) can’t let some kinds of dogs come and not let some others. It’s discrimination, so they just made it so no dogs could come.”
Russellville Mayor Shirley Yassney said the ordinance amendment will help prevent dog fights at public events, often in the presence of children.
“We saw enough instances,” she said. “We knew, for the protection and safety of our citizens, we had to do something.”