Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2006 | 9:11 a.m.
County, three cities consider tougher law
Clark County and three cities are considering an ordinance that would make it more burdensome and costly for residents to own a dangerous dog.
The ordinance, drafted by Clark County and under consideration by North Las Vegas, Henderson and Boulder City, mirrors a measure that Las Vegas has had in place since 2000. Clark County and the three cities are discussing the ordinance in an effort to create a coordinated regional approach on dealing with dangerous animals and pet overpopulation.
The ordinance, which also would give animal control officers greater authority to deem pets vicious and subject to euthanasia, would help to better track and control dangerous animals, as well as stop aggressive breeds from passing on their traits, officials said.
Under the proposal, an animal would be deemed dangerous by an animal control officer if it kills or seriously injures another animal. That designation would arise from citizen complaints or incidents in which loose pets are captured by animal control officers.
Once an animal is labeled dangerous, its owner would be required to obtain a permit, sterilize the pet and have it implanted with a microchip. They would be required to take out liability insurance.
If, however, an animal is declared vicious after attacking a person or animal, it would be subject to euthanasia.
Roger Van Oordt, Las Vegas animal control supervisor, said the tougher ordinance has worked in his city, which had 759 bites in 1999 before the ordinance was adopted. In the first full year after the measure went into effect in 2001, the city had 615 dog bites. There were 628 bites in 2004; statistics for 2005 were not available.
"To me, that is an encouraging number, knowing the population has increased by leaps and bounds," Van Oordt said. "What it does is put a stop to these repeat biters that are a bulk of the problem.
"As long as there are dogs, there will be dog bites, but what this can do is stop the irresponsible dog owners from having their pets running loose and attacking people."
Representatives from Clark County and area cities will meet Thursday to discuss the proposed ordinance, which is likely to be tweaked by each jurisdiction before it goes before elected officials for consideration.
North Las Vegas City Manager Gregory Rose, whose city had 183 reported dog bites last year, said his city is even mulling a ban or temporary moratorium on new pit bulls to better control the breed's population.
"We are trying to encourage responsible ownership," Rose said. "There are too many pit bulls overpopulating the animal shelter that end up being euthanized. And we have concern for vicious animals running loose."
In 2004, the last year for which its numbers were available, Clark County Animal Control reported 1,054 dog bites -- 22 percent of them, or 227, involving pit bulls -- up from 2003's total of 924. There also were 305 cat bites and 24 bites involving other animals that year in the county, which already has adopted some of the provisions of the Las Vegas measure.
Gary Weddle, Henderson's animal control administrator, said it is important that his city toughen its ordinance to match what other local governments are doing.
"If one municipality has a weaker ordinance than the other, it may force people with more aggressive animals into another jurisdiction," Weddle said.
Under the proposed ordinance, a dangerous animal designation requires the owner to obtain a permit and pass an annual $100 inspection of where the pet is kept. The owner also would have to post signs warning of a dangerous animal on the property.
Among the other requirements for owners of dangerous animals:
The permit would be revoked if the dangerous animal, without provocation, bites or attempts to bite someone. If the owner continues to keep the animal, he could be charged with a misdemeanor.
If an animal is designated vicious by an animal control officer, the owner must give up the dog to be euthanized or have it euthanized himself. The owner could appeal that decision with the government agency, and if that appeal fails, could seek to overturn the ruling in court.
Not everyone, however, likes the proposed ordinance. Shana Bobbitt, secretary of the National American Pit Bull Terrier Association, said many homeowners cannot get liability insurance for their dogs.
Scot Dowd, the organization's vice president, said while dangerous-dog ordinances tend to work, the concern is that animal control officials will abuse their power and automatically single out pit bulls. He said no animal should be euthanized just become someone deems it dangerous.
"That's very subjective," Dowd said. "You are guilty before anything is proven."
The push for a regional approach to animal control is applauded by the Animal Foundation, a nonprofit group that operates the Lied Animal Shelter for Clark County, Las Vegas and North Las Vegas.
Foundation spokesman Mark Fierro said he hopes the tougher rules help reduce the problem with back yard breeders. About 22 percent of the dogs that the shelter takes in on a daily basis are pit bulls, and on some days, the shelter's makeup is 50 percent pit bulls, he said.
The Lied Animal Shelter handles about 27,500 dogs a year, about one-third of which are euthanized, including 18 percent that are in poor health or dying, Fierro said.
In November, Clark County adopted an ordinance that officials said will crack down on irresponsible pet owners who allow their fertile animals to roam and breed. Under the new rules, all pet owners must spay or neuter their dogs and cats unless they get a pet fancier's permit, which costs $25 annually.
Fierro said his group will encourage area cities to adopt a similar measure.
Brian Wargo can be reached at 259-4011 or at [email protected].
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