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He said that the most common calls to animal control are for
barking dogs, as such the ordinance has become more commonly known
as the barking dog ordinance. But the ordinance also includes cats
and other problem behaviors such as dogs chasing cars.
A penalty of $25 or no more than $500 would be assessed by the
animal control warden. The amount would be determined by what the
person handling the call has to deal with, the hour of the call –
after hours requires overtime pay and the history of complaints,
Bateman explained.
The statute is modeled off the ordinance just passed by the city
of Lincoln and states: A) No person owning, possessing or
harboring any dog or cat within the county of Logan shall permit
his/her animal to become a nuisance. A dog or cat shall be
considered a nuisance if said animal
a. Substantially damages property other than the owner’s.
b. Causes unsanitary, dangerous or unreasonably offensive
conditions.
c. Causes a disturbance by excessive barking, caterwauling or other
noisemaking.
d. Cases vehicles or molest, attacks, or interferes with persons or
domestic animals while off the premises of the owner.
B) The Animal Control Administrator or his/her delegate upon
reasonable ground shall impound any dog or cat creating a nuisance
off the real property of the owner and not restrained by a competent
person.
C) Any owner of any dog or cat which creates a nuisance is in
violation of this section shall upon conviction thereof pay a
penalty of twenty-five ($25) nor more than five hundred dollars
($500).
Several changes have been made at the facility recently improving
conditions for dogs and those visiting them. New kennels were
installed and there is a new outdoor fenced area that is working out
well for families wanting to take a dog out and see how it
interacts. Volunteers to interact with animals are needed and
welcome, Bateman said.
[Jan Youngquist]
[By
JAN YOUNGQUIST] |
