Moses Lake considers banning pit bulls
New Orleans, UNITED STATES: Babette, a female Pit Bull mix, waits to be adopted at the Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) in New Orleans, 10 August 2006. Most of the animals rescued after Hurricane Katrina flooded New Orleans have found their way to new homes across the country, but the city?s only animal shelter which operates out of an old coffee warehouse without air conditioning or drainage is still full of pets awaiting adoption. AFP PHOTO / Robyn BECK (Photo credit should read ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images)
Discussion is Tuesday
MOSES LAKE - After a 6-year-old Moses Lake boy was attacked by a pit bull earlier this month, Moses Lake City Council will consider banning all pit bulls from the city.
They are considering the ordinance amendment at tonight's council meeting at 7 p.m. in the council chambers at the Moses Lake Police Department.
Councilmember Jon Lane asked city staff to draft an amendment for consideration after the boy was attacked, according to City Manager Joe Gavinski. They will discuss the ordinance tonight and possibly take action.
According to the ordinance amendment, a potentially dangerous dog and a dangerous dog are any dogs known by the owner to be a pit bull breed.
If the ordinance is approved, all pit bull breed dogs are prohibited from the city limits.
"It shall be the duty of the animal control officer or any police officer to impound such animal at the owner's expense," according to the proposed ordinance.
Once the animal is discovered, the owner is sent a notice to remove the dog. The dog owner has 10 days to appeal the notice. During the appeal process the dog is impounded at Grant County Animal Outreach at the owner's expense.
If it's determined the dog is a pit bull, the dog owner must remove it from the city, Gavinski said.
"Failure to comply shall be unlawful and shall result in seizure and destruction of the dog," according to the proposed ordinance. "If impoundment cannot be made with safety to the animal control officer or other citizens, the animal may be destroyed without notice to the owner, keeper or possessor."
The Royal City Council successfully passed an ordinance banning pit bulls and rottweilers from the city in late 2006. A pit bull reportedly attacked a Royal City Police officer prior to the ordinance passage.
Warden City Council considered banning pit bulls and rottweilers from the city limits but tabled the issue in late 2007.
Earlier this month, 6-year-old Alex Medina, of Moses Lake, was attacked while playing in a private yard. A pit bull entered the yard and attacked him unprovoked. He sustained serious injuries to his face and scalp. He is being treated at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle and will undergo numerous re-constructive surgeries.