Royal City passes dog ordinance

Restrictions placed on certain breeds within city limits

ROYAL CITY — Royal City passed an ordinance placing restrictions on certain breeds of dog in the city after several weeks of discussion.

The council was concerned about how to handle dangerous dogs and potentially dangerous dogs. A dangerous dog is a dog who bites a human and a potentially dangerous dog is a dog who bites another dog or makes threatening advances toward people, councilmember Michael Noftle said.

There are about 15 improperly trained dogs roaming the city who are making it uncomfortable for children to be outside their homes, he said.

"We need to be proactive," Noftle said.

He referred to an incidence of a young girl who was mauled by a dangerous dog and does not want to see that happen in the city, he said.

According to the ordinance, rotweilers and pitbulls are considered dangerous dogs.

Citizens within city limits have 30 days to find somewhere else to lodge their dogs once they are notified by the city or the owner must meet specific requirements to keep the pet, Noftle said.

The only way to keep a dangerous dog within city limits is to have the pet in a six-sided facility, City Attorney Jim Whitaker said. It must have four walls, a floor and a ceiling. The dog cannot be let out of the facitlity, he said. The dog owner must also have $1 million worth of homeowner's insurance, he added.

If those requirements are not met, the city will impound the animal after notification and the 30-day period, Whitaker said.

After the dog is impounded the owner can reclaim it if they can prove to the city they can meet the requirements. If the owners do not reclaim the dog, it is euthanized and the owner wxill recieve a lodging bill, Whitaker said.

The council discussed alternatives to the ban before passing the ordinance.

There was a possibility of having a chip placed in all dogs along with a photograph.

"We decided we didn't want to go that extreme," Noftle said.