Marty
11-09-2005, 04:32 PM
Peoria, IL -- Members of the City Council said Tuesday night they want to re-examine an ordinance presented by city attorney Drew Johnson that would ban pit bulls in the city before voting on it.
The proposed ordinance, drafted at the council's request, calls for people who currently own pit bulls to have them tattooed with an identification number and covered by a $1 million liability insurance policy. If the owner of a pit bull allowed it to have puppies, the puppies would have to be removed from the city or destroyed when they are 8 weeks old, according to the proposed ordinance.
No new pit bulls could be brought into the city under the ordinance. Dogs of all breeds would have to be muzzled and leashed at all times in public, and their owners would have to have $100,000 of liability insurance in case of an attack.
Johnson said he pulled items from ordinances in other communities in drafting the proposed ordinance. He added he can revisit the issue if the council wants him to.
Pit bull advocates who spoke at Tuesday's meeting said the ordinance was drafted in reaction to a complaint from a Lewistown woman who said she feared for her small children recently when a pit bull got into a fight with another dog.
"It is excessive, unwarranted and unfair," said Christina Hurley, a local dog groomer. "Every dog that comes to my shop will have to be muzzled and leashed?"
"This is something we're looking at," said council member Darold Richardson. "(We) as public officials have to protect the public ... I don't think there's any question that this is something we need to spend some time on."
Johnson said some council members already have voiced objections to the ordinance as he presented it. He said they disagreed with the provision that all dogs must be muzzled and leashed at all times in public and with the ban on pit bulls.
Council member Barry Blackwell said he thinks city officials can work with the Fulton County Humane Society and other local animal experts to create an ordinance that is fair and protects the public.
In February, the Pekin City Council approved an ordinance that places stiff fines and penalties against the owners of animals that are labeled "vicious" or "dangerous."
Under the new ordinance, a dangerous dog or cat is one that poses a threat to a person or another pet and requires the owner to pay $200 registration fee and maintain liability insurance not less than $50,000.
An owner of a vicious animal, meanwhile, has to pay a $250 registration fee, maintain insurance of at least $100,000, keep the pet enclosed and post a "Beware of Dog/Cat" sign.
A vicious animal is one defined as having attacked someone in a savage manner.
The ordinance is intended to address a rash of dog attacks on people since April 2004.
In McHenry County, a boy was hospitalized Sunday in critical condition after three pit bulls escaped from their home and attacked six people before being shot and killed. No felony charges are expected, but the owner of the dogs will likely face county ordinance violations and a maximum $600 fine.
http://www.pjstar.com/stories/110905/REG_B830VTG8.033.shtml
The proposed ordinance, drafted at the council's request, calls for people who currently own pit bulls to have them tattooed with an identification number and covered by a $1 million liability insurance policy. If the owner of a pit bull allowed it to have puppies, the puppies would have to be removed from the city or destroyed when they are 8 weeks old, according to the proposed ordinance.
No new pit bulls could be brought into the city under the ordinance. Dogs of all breeds would have to be muzzled and leashed at all times in public, and their owners would have to have $100,000 of liability insurance in case of an attack.
Johnson said he pulled items from ordinances in other communities in drafting the proposed ordinance. He added he can revisit the issue if the council wants him to.
Pit bull advocates who spoke at Tuesday's meeting said the ordinance was drafted in reaction to a complaint from a Lewistown woman who said she feared for her small children recently when a pit bull got into a fight with another dog.
"It is excessive, unwarranted and unfair," said Christina Hurley, a local dog groomer. "Every dog that comes to my shop will have to be muzzled and leashed?"
"This is something we're looking at," said council member Darold Richardson. "(We) as public officials have to protect the public ... I don't think there's any question that this is something we need to spend some time on."
Johnson said some council members already have voiced objections to the ordinance as he presented it. He said they disagreed with the provision that all dogs must be muzzled and leashed at all times in public and with the ban on pit bulls.
Council member Barry Blackwell said he thinks city officials can work with the Fulton County Humane Society and other local animal experts to create an ordinance that is fair and protects the public.
In February, the Pekin City Council approved an ordinance that places stiff fines and penalties against the owners of animals that are labeled "vicious" or "dangerous."
Under the new ordinance, a dangerous dog or cat is one that poses a threat to a person or another pet and requires the owner to pay $200 registration fee and maintain liability insurance not less than $50,000.
An owner of a vicious animal, meanwhile, has to pay a $250 registration fee, maintain insurance of at least $100,000, keep the pet enclosed and post a "Beware of Dog/Cat" sign.
A vicious animal is one defined as having attacked someone in a savage manner.
The ordinance is intended to address a rash of dog attacks on people since April 2004.
In McHenry County, a boy was hospitalized Sunday in critical condition after three pit bulls escaped from their home and attacked six people before being shot and killed. No felony charges are expected, but the owner of the dogs will likely face county ordinance violations and a maximum $600 fine.
http://www.pjstar.com/stories/110905/REG_B830VTG8.033.shtml