Marty
11-02-2004, 11:09 AM
Hancock County, MS -- The Board of Supervisors adopted an ordinance Monday to regulate dangerous dogs in Hancock County, nearly four months after a man allegedly commanded his pit bull to attack another man at a home in Lakeshore.
The board unanimously voted to adopt a vicious-dog ordinance after the July attack, when investigators say 42-year-old Robin A. Sager fetched his pit bull from a vehicle and commanded the dog to attack a man he was arguing with.
The new law requires owners of "potentially dangerous animals" to purchase a $15,000 insurance policy and have their dogs registered with the county's animal control officer.
The county defines "potentially dangerous animals" as those who have attacked or will attack without provocation.
According to the 13-page ordinance, owners who fail to register their pets, purchase the liability insurance or secure their animals in a fence could have their animals seized by the county and be fined.
After the ordinance was adopted, Clarence Garcia said he wanted the board to do something about stray dogs that have terrorized his Lakeshore home.
Garcia said the board needs to pass a countywide leash law, and not just one for certain areas. "Why do some people have to have their dogs on a leash and others don't?" he asked.
The current law, adopted in 1995, is effective only in areas south of Interstate 10, because of dogs used for hunting in the county's rural areas during certain times of the year.
District 3 Supervisor Lisa Cowand said the board plans to look for a way to adopt an ordinance that would be fair to residents and hunters.
"There's got to be a way to adopt a countywide law that would allow hunting dogs to run in certain areas, during certain times of the year," she said. "I think we could do something that would be fair to everybody."
The board unanimously voted to adopt a vicious-dog ordinance after the July attack, when investigators say 42-year-old Robin A. Sager fetched his pit bull from a vehicle and commanded the dog to attack a man he was arguing with.
The new law requires owners of "potentially dangerous animals" to purchase a $15,000 insurance policy and have their dogs registered with the county's animal control officer.
The county defines "potentially dangerous animals" as those who have attacked or will attack without provocation.
According to the 13-page ordinance, owners who fail to register their pets, purchase the liability insurance or secure their animals in a fence could have their animals seized by the county and be fined.
After the ordinance was adopted, Clarence Garcia said he wanted the board to do something about stray dogs that have terrorized his Lakeshore home.
Garcia said the board needs to pass a countywide leash law, and not just one for certain areas. "Why do some people have to have their dogs on a leash and others don't?" he asked.
The current law, adopted in 1995, is effective only in areas south of Interstate 10, because of dogs used for hunting in the county's rural areas during certain times of the year.
District 3 Supervisor Lisa Cowand said the board plans to look for a way to adopt an ordinance that would be fair to residents and hunters.
"There's got to be a way to adopt a countywide law that would allow hunting dogs to run in certain areas, during certain times of the year," she said. "I think we could do something that would be fair to everybody."