Vicki
Administrator
June 18, 2009
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Autauga County strengthens animal control ordinance[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]
By Marty Roney [/FONT]PRATTVILLE -- An Autauga County man whose miniature horse was mauled by three pit bulls in February is applaud­ing the Autauga County Commission's move to strengthen its vicious animal or­dinance.
But, according to James Wilson, the new law doesn't go far enough.
"We're in a lot better shape than where we were," he said. "But we wanted any dog that attacks an animal to have to be quarantined, just like when they at­tack a person. I think that needs to be done in the long run."
The County Commission unanimous­ly passed the ordinance during its Tues­day night meeting. The new ordinance gives the county's animal control officer more leeway in investigating vicious or nuisance animals. It's valid only in the unincorporated portions of the county.
Before now, the only law on the books was that owners couldn't allow their dog to run at large. If an animal attacks an­other animal now, it's up to the animal control officer to determine whether the animal is impounded.
That's the way it should be, said Keith Murphy, who lives in Pine Level.
"We have two labs, and they get out of the fence from time to time," he said. "We try to keep them up, by they will get out. If our dogs bark at somebody or get in a fight with another dog, I don't want the dogcatcher taking them off.
"Dogs that are vicious are one thing; they should by quarantined. A dog just being a dog is altogether different."
Wilson's horse, Skye, had to be eutha­nized after the mauling in February. He shot and killed two of the dogs that at­tacked the horse. He wounded the third dog, but it ran away. The Wilsons have other horses and stock on their 10-acre property.
"We're worried about the animals of course, but we're also worried about peo­ple," he said. "We have our grandchil­dren up here all the time; there are kids in the neighborhood. If a dog will attack a horse, they will attack a person.
"We just want to do everything we can so that nobody else has to deal with this kind of thing."
The horse had its ears chewed off and received injuries to her face and flanks. She was treated for about a week at Cale­ra Animal Hospital before she had to be put down.
http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com...a+County+strengthens+animal+control+ordinance
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Autauga County strengthens animal control ordinance[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]
By Marty Roney [/FONT]PRATTVILLE -- An Autauga County man whose miniature horse was mauled by three pit bulls in February is applaud­ing the Autauga County Commission's move to strengthen its vicious animal or­dinance.
But, according to James Wilson, the new law doesn't go far enough.
"We're in a lot better shape than where we were," he said. "But we wanted any dog that attacks an animal to have to be quarantined, just like when they at­tack a person. I think that needs to be done in the long run."
The County Commission unanimous­ly passed the ordinance during its Tues­day night meeting. The new ordinance gives the county's animal control officer more leeway in investigating vicious or nuisance animals. It's valid only in the unincorporated portions of the county.
Before now, the only law on the books was that owners couldn't allow their dog to run at large. If an animal attacks an­other animal now, it's up to the animal control officer to determine whether the animal is impounded.
That's the way it should be, said Keith Murphy, who lives in Pine Level.
"We have two labs, and they get out of the fence from time to time," he said. "We try to keep them up, by they will get out. If our dogs bark at somebody or get in a fight with another dog, I don't want the dogcatcher taking them off.
"Dogs that are vicious are one thing; they should by quarantined. A dog just being a dog is altogether different."
Wilson's horse, Skye, had to be eutha­nized after the mauling in February. He shot and killed two of the dogs that at­tacked the horse. He wounded the third dog, but it ran away. The Wilsons have other horses and stock on their 10-acre property.
"We're worried about the animals of course, but we're also worried about peo­ple," he said. "We have our grandchil­dren up here all the time; there are kids in the neighborhood. If a dog will attack a horse, they will attack a person.
"We just want to do everything we can so that nobody else has to deal with this kind of thing."
The horse had its ears chewed off and received injuries to her face and flanks. She was treated for about a week at Cale­ra Animal Hospital before she had to be put down.
http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com...a+County+strengthens+animal+control+ordinance