NEW MEXICO -- Doña Ana County animal control officers are cracking down on dog owners whose pets have shown tendencies to attack people and other animals.
The action comes following two dog attacks in the last three weeks, including one that resulted in the death of a 15-moth-old girl. The officers will be more willing to issue citations to, or even arrest, animal owners who fail or refuse to get proper permits for dogs that demonstrate aggressive behavior.
Until recently, county animal control officers have sought to work with dog owners to help get them into compliance. But the rash of recent dog attacks is prompting a stricter approach, said Kelly Jameson, spokeswoman for the Doña Ana County Sheriff's Office.
"Is there a harsher stance? Yes. It's choosing to interpret the law as it reads rather than giving the public a chance to come into compliance," Jameson said.
"The law was not necessarily being enforced because the deputies had some discretion to work with the owners, rather than hitting them with the book."
The new enforcement approach is prompted by a recent rash of reports of unrestrained dogs threatening the public, the latest being a May 23 incident where two loose pit bulls attacked a Las Cruces man while he was walking his dog on Doña Ana Road.
Doña Ana County and Las Cruces animal control officers captured the pit bulls after both had been shot by the Las Cruces man. The pit bulls were euthanized after their owner, who was cited with a misdemeanor for failing to restrain the dogs, surrendered custody.
(Las Cruces Sun-News - May 26, 2012)
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