Moses Lake to work on pit bull compromise

Council discussed banning breed

MOSES LAKE - A committee will be created to find a compromise acceptable to Moses Lake, community members and pit bull owners regarding keeping the dogs within city limits.

An ordinance amendment was proposed after 6-year-old Alex Medina was mauled by a pit bull earlier this month. The boy sustained serious injuries and was treated at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

The city council listened to public input from 15 people about a potential ordinance banning pit bulls from city limits. Council took no action on the suggested ordinance amendment.

Before listening to public testimony, a report drafted by Police Chief Dean Mitchell was read.

According to the report, since 2005, there were 24 dog bites reported and four were caused by pit bulls. Police responded to 288 incidents since 2005 involving pit bulls.

Mitchell stated 190 pit bulls were impounded to Grant County Animal Outreach this year and 145 were euthanized. It is the second most common dog breed impounded to the shelter next to Labrador retrievers.

"Out of 24 bites, only four were pit bulls," pit bull owner Susan Mann restated.

She is concerned about the ordinance banning specific breeds rather than banning dogs for their behavior.

"I'm heart-broken about the little boy," she said.

She said negligent dog owners should be punished and held accountable rather than responsible dog owners.

"Killing pit bulls is not going to solve the problem," Mann said. "I will not kill or give my dogs to strangers to meet city ordinances."

When she concluded her remarks, the audience of more than 40 people applauded her.

"I think it's the owners, not necessarily the dog," pit bull owner Rick Tincani said.

He said he is against the ordinance amendment because he and his wife view their pit bull as their own child.

Tincani questioned where the parents of the boy who was mauled were located at the time of the attack as well as the dog owner.

Mitchell said the boy was in a fenced yard with a family member. The pit bull forced its way through the fence and attacked the boy unprovoked.

Peggy Lee Chillson said she wants the city to do something to regulate pit bulls. She recalled an incident where a pit bull jumped up against a fence near at her home.

"It scared the daylights out of me because I just don't trust them," she said.

Chillson said pit bull owners should be required to have insurance to cover a potential attack.

Pit bull owner Brooks Mann said it's inappropriate to enforce an ordinance banning a specific breed.

"There have been bites by many breeds of dogs," he said.

He said his dogs are a part of his family.

"No one is going to come in and take my dogs from me," Mann said.

He said it appears to make pit bull owners criminal for owning a specific breed.

"Please, please, don't let this ordinance pass," Mann asked. "Protect the people who are being responsible."

Pit bull owner Alissa Starkweather said she would move out of Moses Lake if she were forced to surrender her dogs.

She said dogs attack due to the way they are raised and treated, not due to their breed.

Starkweather said banning pit bulls will lead to dog owners confining their pets. If the dog is confined, it's not socialized and is more likely to attack, she said. The number of dog attacks has potential to increase if they are banned, she added.

Starkweather suggested requiring pit bull owners to put their animal through obedience school.

Pit bull owner Stephen Ricard said his dogs are his companion.

He said any dog can attack regardless of breed and to be fair, the city would have to ban all dogs from the city to ensure there are no attacks.

David Richards told the council he is concerned about how city personnel would identify a dog as a pit bull by merely looking at it.

After public testimony concluded, the council shared their concerns.

"A young 6-year-old boy, through no fault of his own, was mauled by a pit bull," Mayor Ron Covey said. "I have not seen pictures of the child but I have heard how serious the injuries are."

The police chief explained the injuries as gruesome and the child was severely traumatized.

"He will recover but he's going to bare those scars regardless," Mitchell said.

Covey said he wasn't sure if passing an ordinance banning pit bulls would be successful.

He asked for people interested in working with the city to find a compromise to raise their hands. Most people in the audience raised their hands.

"Do you have the means to take care of the actions of your dogs?" Councilmember James Liebrecht asked the pit bull owners in the audience. "How far are you going to go?"

He questioned if pit bull owners would take responsibility for potentially life-long medical bills of a person or animal their pit bull might attack.

Councilmember Richard Pearce said he favors creating a committee to review the ordinance amendment. He said precautions should be created for people who chose to own pit bulls.

"My heart goes out to that little boy," Councilmember Brent Reese said about Medina. "I can't imagine what they're going through."

He said the dog owner should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

Reese said there are pit bulls who are not violent. He said his daughter had a pit bull with a friendly demeanor. He suggested to continue working on the ordinance and does not want to ban a specific dog breed.

"It was a terrible thing and I don't want it to happen again," Councilmember Jon Lane said.

He said pit bull ownership should be addressed and he favors the committee.

Councilmember Bill Ecret said he is not in favor of banning specific breeds from the city.

Covey asked pit bull owners in the audience if they would agree to keeping their pit bulls muzzled.

Few hands were raised in the audience.

"Stop and think about your child," he said. "What kind of hell would you live through if your child or grandchild were disfigured by (a pit bull)? We don't want your child or grandchild lying in a hospital with (their) scalp ripped off."

The committee to review the ordinance will consist of pit bull owners who attended the meeting, councilmembers, law enforcement and concerned citizens.

Royal City and Othello prohibit pit bulls within their city limits.

Warden declined a similar ban.