Vicki
Administrator
White Co. Studies Ways To Reduce Pit Bulls
Sheriff's Dept. Sees Historically High Number Of Vicious Dogs
POSTED: 10:37 am CDT August 17, 2009
UPDATED: 6:12 pm CDT August 17, 2009
SPARTA, Tenn. -- The White County Commission has encouraged residents to suggest ways to reduce the pit bull population.
The commissioners declined to ban the breed on the advice of County Attorney Gary Dodson, who said it would not be legal unless the county was zoned properly.
The sheriff said many of these vicious dogs are being dumped in the county as more and more families can't afford to take care of them.
Sheriff Oddie Shoupe had asked the commission to address the matter because of recent attacks on citizens and officers.
One of the victims was a 79-year-old woman, who was attacked by a couple of dogs while walking in her neighborhood, said Detective Chris Isom of the sheriff's department.
Isom and the sheriff's department said the county is seeing a historically high number of vicious dogs roaming the area and attacking people, other dogs and farm animals.
The sheriff said in just the past eight months, the department has put down about 200 vicious pit bull and pit bull mixes. Some of the dogs were kept on chains and fed gun powder while trained to attack.
While not all of the dogs being put down are pit bulls, the sheriff said most are, and now a committee of local dog owners -- some of whom own pit bulls themselves -- are considering new vicious dog regulations including:
* the registration of all vicious breeds
* pet insurance to cover all damages these vicious animals may cause
* spay and neuter regulations to help
Commissioners will review the situation at their next meeting.
Reporter Regina Raccuglia contributed to this story.
White Co. Studies Ways To Reduce Pit Bulls - Nashville News Story - WSMV Nashville
Sheriff's Dept. Sees Historically High Number Of Vicious Dogs
POSTED: 10:37 am CDT August 17, 2009
UPDATED: 6:12 pm CDT August 17, 2009
SPARTA, Tenn. -- The White County Commission has encouraged residents to suggest ways to reduce the pit bull population.
The commissioners declined to ban the breed on the advice of County Attorney Gary Dodson, who said it would not be legal unless the county was zoned properly.
The sheriff said many of these vicious dogs are being dumped in the county as more and more families can't afford to take care of them.
Sheriff Oddie Shoupe had asked the commission to address the matter because of recent attacks on citizens and officers.
One of the victims was a 79-year-old woman, who was attacked by a couple of dogs while walking in her neighborhood, said Detective Chris Isom of the sheriff's department.
Isom and the sheriff's department said the county is seeing a historically high number of vicious dogs roaming the area and attacking people, other dogs and farm animals.
The sheriff said in just the past eight months, the department has put down about 200 vicious pit bull and pit bull mixes. Some of the dogs were kept on chains and fed gun powder while trained to attack.
While not all of the dogs being put down are pit bulls, the sheriff said most are, and now a committee of local dog owners -- some of whom own pit bulls themselves -- are considering new vicious dog regulations including:
* the registration of all vicious breeds
* pet insurance to cover all damages these vicious animals may cause
* spay and neuter regulations to help
Commissioners will review the situation at their next meeting.
Reporter Regina Raccuglia contributed to this story.
White Co. Studies Ways To Reduce Pit Bulls - Nashville News Story - WSMV Nashville