Web posted
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Canary dog added to banned list
By JAMES JORDAN
Traveler Editor
news@arkcity.net
As expected, city commissioners banned the Presa Canario dog breed in Arkansas City at its meeting Tuesday.
City Attorney Tamara Niles said the dog is known to be violent and aggressive without provocation. She said the ordinance came up because a resident who had his Pit Bull taken away said he was going to get one of these dogs.
"As far as we know, there are none in the city limits now, so no one will lose their animal," she said.
There are eight dog breeds on a list the city was considering, and each of them are some variant of the Pit Bull, which the city has already banned. The other breeds are: American Staffordshire Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Bull Terrier, Bull Mastiff, Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog and the Presa Canario, known as the Canary Dog.
Mayor Mell Kuhn said he realizes that often the real problem with dogs is the owner and not the dog, but he said he feels the city should be proactive and protect the citizens of the city.
"As far as I am concerned we could ban all of those breeds," he said.
At Monday's work session, commissioners considered such a move, but decided to try to have the dog ordinances more strictly enforced.
No one attended any of the meetings to object to the move.
Niles said she hears about one vicious-dog case a week. City officials hope to cut down on that number.
Commissioners said they do not want to get into the banning of a lot of breeds of dogs, so they will likely ban this one and make the current laws about vicious dogs stronger.
"We don't want to overdo it, but we do want to protect people," Kuhn said.
They also want to make the law stronger as people are now finding loopholes. Some people keep paying their fines over and over. Niles said some people fight charges in court by getting a veterinarian to say under oath that their dog is not a Pitt Bull.
Sometimes dogs are taken to the animal shelter. People go back and get them, promising to move them out into the country, but do not do so. Sometimes they get someone else to claim the animal, as another way of keeping their dog that has been cited for being vicious.
In other matters commissioners:
* Authorized transfer title of City Ballpark to Cowley College. The city has owned the park for years because the Recreation Commission is not allowed to own one under state law. There are stipulations in the agreement that will allow the high school and the Recreation Commission to use the facility as long as they need or want to.
Casey Doty of the Recreation Commission was at the meeting Tuesday and said he approved of the transfer.
The city will no longer be responsible for the upkeep of the park, which has cost between $12,000 and $20,000 per year.
* Approve a five-year plan for major street projects proposed for funding with KDOT grants and approve submission of application to KDOT.
* Consider charter ordinance to change ex officio member provisions for public library. Current rules say the head of the City Commission will be the board member of the library. This will allow the City Commission to appoint any of its members to that board.
* There will be a public forum at 7 p.m Nov. 20, at the Senior Center.
This is a chance for the public to talk to the commission.
The last time such a forum was held, a discussion concerning the hospital dominated the evening.
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