Some of the dogs have attacked -- and in one recent case, killed -- other people's pets. Others have attacked and injured people.
City Administrator Steve Diers said several weeks ago the City Council decided it would be a good idea to take a look at the city's current dog ordinance, which covers vicious dogs, the leash law and barking dogs.
A few days later, "as fate would have it," two dogs killed a neighboring property owner's cat, Diers said.
Debi Lincoln, the owner of the cat that was killed, said it has been devastating for her and her husband, Bob, and especially for their 13-year-old daughter, Madi.
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| Mew, a 7-year-old cat belonging to the Bob and Debi Lincoln family of Charles City, was killed by two pit bulls on April 8. |
The cat, Mew, was in the Lincolns' fenced-in yard on April 8 while no one was home, she said. A neighbor heard screaming, looked around the fence and saw two pit bulls, one holding each end of the cat and "ripping her to pieces," Lincoln said.
The dogs had either jumped the fence or squeezed in through a small gap, according to Lincoln.
"I am madder than hell," she said.
The police caught the dogs, which were taken to the PAWS Humane Society shelter in Charles City. Their owner, Clorista Baker, has been charged with two counts each of having a vicious dog, having a dog at-large and no rabies vaccination.
Lincoln said if Baker pays the impound fees, she can get her dogs back pending her day in court.
Lincoln said two Sundays ago she went to Baker's house and the two women talked and cried together. She said she understands Baker loves her dogs but she doesn't understand why she could potentially get them back while Lincoln can never get Mew back.
The city's current dog ordinance says it is unlawful for any person to keep a vicious dog within the city. A dog is deemed to be vicious when it has attacked or bitten any person without provocation, or when propensity to attack or bite persons exists and is known or ought reasonably to be known to the owner.
City Attorney Ralph Smith said although the ordinance technically only refers to attacks on humans and not animals, the city does file vicious dog charges if the attack on another animal is so severe that the dog "is potentially dangerous to human beings."
One of the two pit bulls that attacked Lincoln's cat was involved in an attack on another dog in January.
Deb Leary said she was out walking her dog when the pit bull "came out of nowhere" and "tore up her belly quite a bit."
"I've never been so upset in my whole life," she said.
Leary said the pit bull was taken to PAWS but the case against Baker was dropped.
Smith said he didn't think he could get a conviction in that case, noting PAWS staff said the dog was not acting aggressively toward humans.
Some citizens at Monday's meeting said one solution would be to ban pit bulls within the city limits.
Noni Bucknell said national statistics show pit bulls are responsible for 62 percent of all attacks by dogs.
She said there have been cases in other parts of the country where pit bulls who "never showed aggression before" have killed someone.
"What if that was a toddler and not a cat?" she said, referring to Lincoln's cat.
Others did not agree that pit bulls should be banned, including Julie Colasuonno, who was attacked and injured by a golden retriever mix in 2009 while she was out riding her bicycle.
"There are no bad dogs, only bad owners," she said.
The dog that attacked her has been euthanized.
Colasuonno said she favors licensing for all dogs and requiring owners to provide proof of insurance if they have a breed of dog that is considered at risk of attacking humans.
Julie Taylor, manager of the PAWS shelter, said she strongly believes it is not the pit bulls that are the problem but the owners.
Unfortunately in Charles City, there seems to be a higher percentage of owners who are not acting responsibly, she said.
Taylor said she also is frustrated with the current dog ordinance and how it is enforced.
She said she can only think of two cases were a Charles City dog bit someone and was euthanized.
Usually the dog ends up going to another town, where it will pose a danger to those living there.
"I think that's passing the buck," she said.
Monday's meeting was a planning session so no action could be taken. However, several City Council members will work with city staff on possible changes to the dog ordinance.
(Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier - April 28, 2015)
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