The city council entertained a request Monday, Dec. 12 by city police chief Ron Mills to amend the city’s current animal ordinance concerning vicious dogs. Mills asked to lower the requiring $300,000 worth of coverage down to $100,000 because it is impossible for dog owners to adhere to that request as there is no one who will supply that coverage. A city cannot have a requirement in it’s ordinance that cannot be accomplish and therefore a change is needed, according to Mills.
The current ordinance relating to registration of vicious dogs reads: an owner of a vicious dog must produce evidence that he or she has the ability to respond in damages up to and including the amount of $300,000 for bodily injury to or death of any person or persons or for damage to property that may result from the ownership, keeping, or maintenance of such animal. Proof of financial responsibility may be in the form of a certificate of insurance, or in the form of a surety bond conditioned upon the payment of such damages. If such insurance or surety bond is changed, altered, or terminated after registration of the vicious dog, the owner of such animal shall provide evidence to the City of insurance or surety bond complying with the terms of this provision.
A vicious dog is defined under the city’s ordinance as any dog such as a Pit Bull breed that has a known or natural propensity, tendency or disposition to attack unprovoked or which has caused death or serious injury to a person engaged in a lawful activity or has attacked or bitten without provocation a person engaged in a lawful activity; or which has killed or seriously injured another animal after an animal control officer or enforcement agent has issued, based upon the vicious or predatory nature of the dog, a written notice to the owner or custodian of such dog to keep it confined or muzzled and leashed in accordance with this subchapter; or which has been declared to be vicious by the attending physician of the victim of an attack or an animal control officer or enforcement agent, taking into consideration the nature and severity of the incident and whether the dog has displayed dangerously aggressive behavior and is likely to inflict injury on another person or animal. A vicious dog does not include a dog that bites or attacks a person or other animal that provokes, torments, tortures, or treats an animal cruelly.
“The problem we were having was people were coming in to register their dogs and couldn’t find anyone who would insure them at $300,000,” said chief Mills, adding that he found that Auburn’s ordinance was asking for the highest amount of insurance coverage in the nation. “I found an agent out in California who offers insurance on vicious dogs, but it’s only $100,000. She is currently getting her license to sell in Kentucky,” said Mills.
Mills will bring the amendment to the city council in January and then it will have to have two readings before passage.
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