NEBRASKA -- Several local residents questioned the effectiveness of new dangerous dog regulations in Blair during a public hearing about the proposed rules at the City Council meeting on Tuesday.
Jane Straube, who initiated the request for tougher dog laws after her dog was attacked by two pit pulls from a neighbor's house in July, asked the council what the difference would have been in her family's case had the new law been in effect in July.
Straube and her husband, Bill, had asked the city to consider banning pit bulls in town. The proposed new ordinance requires that pit bulls and similar breeds be kept in a securely fenced yard or be on a leash and muzzled if they are outside the fence, but does not ban them.
Straube wondered if the new law would have helped prevent the attack on her dog.
Patti Plugge told the council her dog was attacked Saturday morning by two border collies at Black Elk/Neihardt Park. She said it was "lucky I can kick hard," and that someone heard the screams and came to help.
Plugge said it was not the first time the two dogs had attacked another dog. She said she filed a report with the police and the other person whose dog was attacked had filed a report. She said she was told one of the dogs would be destroyed, but the other one was not deemed aggressive.
Plugge wondered why and who deems dogs to be aggressive.
Council members said the proposed new law would give police officers more discretion about dangerous dogs and would put more responsibilitiy on owners, leaving them subject to court appearances and fines, being forced to take classes on responsible pet ownership and even banning them from pet ownership for up to four years if they are deemed "reckless owners."
Councilman Jon Stewart said the proposal is not perfect, but he hoped it would be an improvement for both police and residents.
Lt. Aaron Barrow of the Blair Police said a new records system would generate a report that would include the owners' name, whether the dog was licensed and any legal history of the dog and owner.
If the new law were in effect, Councilman Hal Kephart said, the owners of the dogs that attacked the Plugge dog would have been subject to a Class A misdemeanor along with having the dogs impounded (which the owner would have to pay for).
Ken Stier, a neighbor who helped the Straubes fend off the dogs that attacked their dog, wondered if allowing dogs "two strikes" before they are impounded or destroyed would be a good idea.
He said the new law would not have prevented the attack on the Straubes' dog. One of the dogs previously had been identified as dangerous.
Straube agreed that dogs be given one strike - taken away from their owners or destroyed after one attack.
Jim Keller, a pit bull owner, said he was glad the city was not trying to ban pit bulls and other breeds. He said pit bulls are "some of the nicest dogs you will ever want to meet if you get to know them."
Councilman Hal Kephart said the proposed new law is based on laws in Omaha and Gretna. He said it appeared to be a better alternative than to ban pit bulls.
For the first time, cats would be included in the animal regulations and two people had questions about that and about pet limits.
The new proposal would limit households to four cats and Darrel Boesiger wondered what would happen to people who already might have more than four cats.
City administrator Rod Storm said if the new law were approved, the city would work with owners over a period of time to bring them into compliance.
Stewart said the goal of the new law was responsible pet ownership, for dogs and cats, both of which would be required to be licensed.
Cindi Heng also wondered if owners would have some initial leeway. The new law would limit owners to three dogs, three cats or a combination of four pets. Heng also said collars with tags on cats can be a potential danger to the cat.
The city council plans to consider the new pet regulations on first reading at its Oct. 26 meeting. By law, the ordinance must be approved at three different meetings, unless that rule is waived by the council.
(Pilot Tribune & Enterprise - October 15, 2010)
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