Council snaps back at vicious dogs (Pauls Valley, OK)

PV Council snaps back at vicious dogs
By Barry Porterfield
Staff Writer

Taking a bite out of vicious dogs was the whole idea behind by a move earlier this week meant to address a definite concern of some Pauls Valley residents.

With one local victim of a recent attack looking on, members of the PV City Council approved some measures they hope will curtail problems associated with dangerous dogs running loose on the streets.

The approved amendments to local city ordinances included a newer definition of the term “vicious dog” and ways to better restrain them.

The council also made it a requirement for owners of dogs declared vicious to acquire liability insurance in case their animals do some damage in the future.

An effort to make changes got going in earnest after Doris Belicek of the local Donihoo-Colley Complex, out for a walk in early February, looked on in horror as three Pit bull dogs suddenly appeared, quickly became aggressive before they then attacked and killed her own small canine companion, Rufus.

Belicek briefly described the trauma that’s been with her and others at the housing complex ever since the attack as she spoke to the council during this week’s meeting.

Belicek’s message was supported by her daughter, Colleen Martin, who has led the charge for some changes in local laws pertaining to dogs.

“We have a problem and things need to be changed,” Martin said.

“The elderly people at Donihoo-Colley are still petrified to go and take their trash out. There are more of these stories out there,” she said.

Martin’s specific aim has been focused on the Pit bull breed, which is something city officials have continued to say is not legal.

“Our ordinances are in line with state statutes. State statutes say you can’t be breed specific,” City Manager James Frizell said.

For that reason the council’s action this week will apply to all dog breeds.

One such change came in the definition of a vicious dog.

Previously it only applied to dogs that had bitten or attempted to bite a person. Now it also counts when a dog attacks another animal.

In those cases a a dog can officially be declared vicious by a judge through the municipal court process.

When that vicious tag is put on a dog its owner will pay a price in the form of liability insurance for that dog.

The council and others agreed that insurance total should be set at $100,000, which is twice the state’s minimum amount.

“We’re talking about an animal declared vicious,” Frizell said.

“They would be required to get insurance,” he added, referring to the dog’s owner.

Another ordinance change came in the area of tethering, which is the act of restraining a dog with a chain or rope.

The council’s approval means the act will be highly restricted from now on.

“With this you can’t chain or stake a dog for more than two hours in a 24-hour period,” Police Chief Dennis Madison said.

“People are going to have to do something to secure the dogs without securing them with a chain or rope. The dogs are going to have to be in a fenced area,” he said.

Specifics were also placed on those fenced and enclosed areas used to keep dogs.

Also approved was a measure allowing city fines for all offenses to be moved up to the maximum allowed by state law.

The move simply allows for PV’s local ordinances to be in line with state statutes, officials said.

The specifics of any fine increases will be determined at a later time.

Changes were also made to the rules for pet vaccinations and the annual pet licenses.

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