AGENDA #5g

MEMORANDUM

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

FROM:            W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

SUBJECT:      Animal Control Ordinance

DATE:                        June 27, 2005

The purpose of this memorandum is to respond to a petition from the Westside Neighborhood Association requesting revisions to the Town’s Animal Control Code.

BACKGROUND

On May 23, 2005, the Westside Neighborhood Association submitted a petition to the Town Council requesting a review of the Animal Control Code, specifically the section which deals with vicious animals. This request was prompted by two incidents in which neighborhood dogs being walked by their owners were attacked by a dog that was unrestrained.  According to the petitioners, only the actions of the owners prevented the stray dog from inflicting injury on the pets.  The petitioners expressed concern that the current ordinance declares an animal vicious only if that animal injures, maims or kills another animal.  Because their pets were not injured the only recourse available to the Animal Control Officer was to warn the stray dog’s owner that his dog must be kept restrained.

DISCUSSION

A review of the Animal Control Code confirms the information contained in the petition.  We believe that it would be appropriate to review this and other sections of the Animal Control Code to determine whether revisions should be considered.   We anticipate such a review would take several months and that any recommended changes could be presented for Council consideration in the fall.

We will continue to monitor the situation in the Westside neighborhood to reduce chances of future occurrences such as those described in the petition.

RECOMMENDATION

We recommend that staff review the Animal Control Code over the summer and in the fall present recommended revisions to the Council for its consideration.