Enforcement will be the key
What happens next with Garland County’s amended animal control ordinance, passage of which was anticipated on Monday by the Quorum Court, will play out in the weeks and months to come.
How successful it will be in addressing the issue of vicious dogs depends very much on various factors:
• The continued vigilance and responsible actions of dog owners who have always licensed and cared for their animals and respected their neighbors as well.
• The diligence of other dog owners in making certain they take seriously the strengthened ordinance and do everything possible to control their animals and provide for their welfare, too.
• The response of law enforcement and appropriate other agencies to incidents of dog attacks on human beings or other animals.
• The follow- through by complainants via the legal system.
• Ongoing education about specific requirements of the ordinance. But, above all else, there is the matter of enforcement. And this could be a sticking point if county and city governments, members of the general public, humane organizations, and area residents don’t communicate and cooperate fully when problems arise.
The onus for enforcing the ordinance will fall on an already- strapped- for- staff Garland County Sheriff’s Department and also on Hot Springs Animal Services, both entities already overwhelmed by the number of calls and concerns related to roaming and vicious dogs. Clearly, these departments, now more than ever, will need the assistance of area persons and business owners willing to be part of the enforcement process. And, then there is the question of cost. Hot Springs and Garland County governments must continue to share the financial burden for animal control and services, not a small challenge in these days of flat budgets where every dollar is being stretched to the max.
Like many other communities around the state, ours has been sorely tested to try and find a fair and effective way in which to deal with the subject of animal control. Sadly, and in the past two years, we have all been witness to truly tragic events involving men, women, children and unmanageable dogs.
And like other Arkansas cities and counties, many of our elected officials have invested considerable time and energy on drafting legislation that protects people and their properties and does not unfairly penalize those who see to it that their animals are properly tagged and vaccinated.
Similar measures have been approved and have worked well in other counties.
We can only hope that common sense and what’s best in the best interest of the public prevails here.