Hanafan signs pit bull ordinance

Council Bluffs, IA -- Mayor Tom Hanafan has decided not to use his veto power to overturn the City Council's recent approval of an ordinance to ban pit bulls.

"I signed it," Hanafan said of the ordinance.

That brought disappointment to a leading ban opponent.

Kelley McAtee said she and others met with Hanafan last Thursday to request his veto of the ordinance. McAtee said the mayor expressed concerns about some parts of the ordinance, though he told them he couldn't veto just parts of the ordinance, it would have to be the whole thing, she said.

"There was still a bit of hope he would veto it," McAtee said. "I'm disappointed."

She and the others recommended to Hanafan that a task force be created to find a solution that would work for everyone, McAtee said.

At the end of Monday night's council meeting, Hanafan suggested people from both sides of the issue come together to make sure the ordinance, which takes effect Jan. 1, runs smoothly.

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Hanafan said he believes many pit bull owners are confused and concerned about what this ordinance is all about. He also expressed concern that some people won't license their pit bulls now because of the requirements involved, though others have started to comply with the ordinance, Hanafan said.

"They never came up with a plan on how to enforce it," McAtee said.

She said a fund has been created to pay for legal action to overturn the ordinance in court. People can go to any US Bank location and donate to the fund in care of the American Canine Foundation.

There's another animal issue that must be dealt with, according to Hanafan.

It's the expanding deer population and the growing number of cases of these animals being killed by cars.

"The number that we're picking up is huge," Hanafan said. "It's a strain on the people in Animal Control. We need to sit down to figure out what to do."

Animal control officials have been picking up about four dead deer a week, he said.