The Okolona Board of Mayor and Aldermen tweaked the city’s new animal ordinance earlier this month to change the number of dogs allowed on a single piece of property and inserted the word ‘nuisance’ instead.
Originally, the number of animals an owner had was the target of the ordinance, but according to Okolona Mayor Louise Floyd-Cole the amendment was made to better suit city concerns.
“Five dogs that are quiet and don’t cause problems are not a nuisance, but one dog that barks and is dangerous could be a nuisance. We just wanted an ordinance that addressed our concerns so police can deal with it.”
With the language of the new ordinance, police can write a ticket for any animal deemed a nuisance.
Chief of Police, Tommy Leff, said he welcomed the new law and felt pit bulls should be banned.
“We went to a house recently and there was a bulldog there that was about to eat our guy up,” said Lee. “If those dogs get loose and threaten our officers, we have no option but to shoot it and we don’t want that.”
According to City Attorney Gene Barton,
“The key issue is dogs and specifically those that might hurt someone.” Barton went on to state,
“This ordinance defines what a pit bull breed is, what a vicious dog is and the regulations and penalties for letting dogs run loose.” He went on to explain that while
the definition of ‘dangerous animal’ does address pit bulls, it also includes hogs, bulls, snakes and horses.
The ordinance doesn’t ban dangerous animals, but owners are required to register them with the city and obtain a $1000 permit to keep the animal (pit bull). In Barton’s opinion, the ordinance does not target anyone group or type of animal.
Like this:
Like Loading...