Marty
11-08-2005, 02:51 PM
Springdale, AR -- Pit bull owners who say their dogs are innocent canines won't have to worry about Bentonville outlawing their animals unless they attack, under a new ordinance submitted Friday.
The words "pit bull" aren't found anywhere in new city legislation proposed by Bentonville animal control officers.
Instead, the nine-page document redefines dangerous and hazardous animals, keeping several requirements included in a previous document that attracted local and national attention.
It is also time for the Bentonville City Council to discuss the 2006 budget, hire a firm to write the city's general plan and approve a builder for Bentonville's $15 million water line.
Council members will meet today and Tuesday to discuss the updated dog ordinance and budget, along with their other agenda items.
The council tabled a proposed ordinance last month targeting pit bull breeds. Twelve of 16 dogs on the city's dangerous-animal list were pit bulls, and police were looking for a way to address the problem. Opponents said it was unfair to target specific breeds when any dog could potentially cause harm.
Bentonville police officers regrouped and submitted the new ordinance.
"If you just outlawed pit bulls, it wouldn't solve all the problems we have. This is a broad approach to handle all problems," Police Chief James Allen said Friday.
"I expect it to get a lot of discussion," he said.
The new proposal keeps several elements of the tabled ordinance, such as requiring registration of animals police label dangerous or hazardous. The language also requires owners to keep dogs secured by lock, post warnings that children can understand and sterilize the animal.
The ordinance also prohibits keeping animals in rooms where window screens and doors are the only things keeping them inside.
Bentonville's proposed ordinance follows one recommended to the city by the American Kennel Club.
Sgt. Mike Smith said he liked the additional definitions of when an animal isn't considered dangerous or hazardous. An animal isn't considered hazardous or dangerous if it is protecting its litter or if it is attacking in response to defending a person or attacking a person or animal who is trespassing.
Another new addition requires the owner to microchip the dog so owners' information would pop up when scanned.
Dangerous animals are defined as attacking a person or domestic animal without provocation, inflicting serious physical harm or death.
A hazardous animal is defined as an animal that poses a threat to public safety as a result of "chasing or approaching a person upon the street, sidewalks, or any public grounds in an apparent attitude of attack," or any animal that attacks a person or domestic animal without provocation.
The definition also includes any animal found running at large and impounded by the animal control officer three or more times within any 12-month period.
Animal control officers would keep a registry of any dangerous or hazardous animal.
http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2005/11/07/news/bentonville/03advance.txt
The words "pit bull" aren't found anywhere in new city legislation proposed by Bentonville animal control officers.
Instead, the nine-page document redefines dangerous and hazardous animals, keeping several requirements included in a previous document that attracted local and national attention.
It is also time for the Bentonville City Council to discuss the 2006 budget, hire a firm to write the city's general plan and approve a builder for Bentonville's $15 million water line.
Council members will meet today and Tuesday to discuss the updated dog ordinance and budget, along with their other agenda items.
The council tabled a proposed ordinance last month targeting pit bull breeds. Twelve of 16 dogs on the city's dangerous-animal list were pit bulls, and police were looking for a way to address the problem. Opponents said it was unfair to target specific breeds when any dog could potentially cause harm.
Bentonville police officers regrouped and submitted the new ordinance.
"If you just outlawed pit bulls, it wouldn't solve all the problems we have. This is a broad approach to handle all problems," Police Chief James Allen said Friday.
"I expect it to get a lot of discussion," he said.
The new proposal keeps several elements of the tabled ordinance, such as requiring registration of animals police label dangerous or hazardous. The language also requires owners to keep dogs secured by lock, post warnings that children can understand and sterilize the animal.
The ordinance also prohibits keeping animals in rooms where window screens and doors are the only things keeping them inside.
Bentonville's proposed ordinance follows one recommended to the city by the American Kennel Club.
Sgt. Mike Smith said he liked the additional definitions of when an animal isn't considered dangerous or hazardous. An animal isn't considered hazardous or dangerous if it is protecting its litter or if it is attacking in response to defending a person or attacking a person or animal who is trespassing.
Another new addition requires the owner to microchip the dog so owners' information would pop up when scanned.
Dangerous animals are defined as attacking a person or domestic animal without provocation, inflicting serious physical harm or death.
A hazardous animal is defined as an animal that poses a threat to public safety as a result of "chasing or approaching a person upon the street, sidewalks, or any public grounds in an apparent attitude of attack," or any animal that attacks a person or domestic animal without provocation.
The definition also includes any animal found running at large and impounded by the animal control officer three or more times within any 12-month period.
Animal control officers would keep a registry of any dangerous or hazardous animal.
http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2005/11/07/news/bentonville/03advance.txt