Owning animals may get expensive

Friday, April 14, 2006 | 7:18 a.m.

Henderson and other local governments are preparing to put more bite into their laws controlling dangerous pets.

Under an ordinance expected to be adopted by the Henderson City Council on Tuesday, it would become more costly and burdensome to own a dangerous dog. The measure also would establish procedures that could lead to euthanizing pets that attack people or other animals.

Clark County, North Las Vegas and Boulder City are moving ahead with similar measures as part of a regional crackdown on dangerous animals and pet overpopulation.

Henderson's ordinance is modeled after Las Vegas' . Since enacting tougher ordinances in 2000, Las Vegas has seen dog bites decrease from 759 in 1999 to 621 in 2005, despite a rapid rise in population.

"Las Vegas' ordinance has worked," said Gary Weddle, Henderson's animal control administrator.

"I am glad they are all getting on the same page," added Roger Van Oordt, Las Vegas' animal control supervisor. "It means the rules are the same regardless where you take this animal. You can't move to an area that is more permissive."

The Henderson proposal would give animal control officers greater authority to deem pets dangerous and vicious and to better track and control such animals.

Under the measure, a pet could be declared dangerous if it threatens people or other animals without being provoked.

Once an animal is declared dangerous, its owner would be required to obtain a permit, sterilize the pet and have it implanted with a microchip. Homeowners also would be required to have $50,000 in liability insurance, have a fenced-in area where the animal is kept and pass an inspection at a cost of $50. The animal could not leave the property unless muzzled, leashed and under the control of an adult.

The owner could not sell, move or give away the animal without obtaining written permission from the animal control officer. And if the permit is revoked, the owner could be charged with a misdemeanor if he keeps the pet.

If a pet kills or injures a person or another animal, or simply continues to exhibit the behavior that resulted in it being labeled dangerous, it could be declared vicious.

Any pet deemed vicious is subject to euthanasia, pending a hearing of the city's three-member Animal Advisory Committee. If the owner loses that hearing, the case could go to court.

Joe Boteilho, Clark County's chief of code enforcement, said a similar, though tougher, ordinance will soon go before county commissioners. Among other differences, the county measure would double the amount of liability insurance required to $100,000.

"Ours will be more strict," Boteilho said. "We are not going to wait for multiple events to occur to do a declaration."

Jon Cook, a resident of unincorporated Clark County who owns two pit bulls, said he has no problem with tighter regulations as long as the ordinance does not cite a specific breed.

But members of the National American Pit Bull Association said they fear animal control officers might single out pit bulls for sanctions. In addition, homeowners with pets that have been declared dangerous might have difficulty obtaining liability insurance, association board member Shana Bobbitt said.

North Las Vegas had been considering a breed-specific ban, but City Manager Gregory Rose said the ordinance would be consistent - at least initially - with regulations in the rest of the region.

"We are going to see how this works, and if it is not meeting our expectations, we will take a look at other options, including a ban on breeds," Rose said.