Council Adopts Ordinance On Vicious Dogs

PRAIRIE GROVE — Prairie Grove police officers will be able to impound an animal that is possibly vicious or dangerous under a new ordinance adopted July 15 by the City Council.

The ordinance known as the 2013 Vicious Animal Impoundment Ordinance takes effect Aug. 16.

The ordinance defines a dangerous or vicious animal as one that has demonstrated a reasonable likelihood to attack and seriously injure another animal or person by its prior conduct or attitude. An animal that has bitten or attempted to bite a human or other animal in response to being tormented or because its enclosed area has been invaded is not considered a dangerous or vicious animal.

The ordinance says that no person can harbor, own or possess a dangerous or vicious animal.

The ordinance also prohibits residents from owning or possessing an animal considered wild in nature.

Whenever a person is charged with violating the ordinance, the city is authorized to impound the offending animal until a court has determined if the animal is dangerous or vicious.

If the judge rules that the animal is dangerous or vicious, the city has the authority to destroy the animal three business days following the court ruling. If the decision is appealed to Washington County Circuit Court and persons want to postpone the euthanasia pending an appeal, then the animal owner would have to pay all costs for the animal’s impoundment to date plus pay a $ 500 deposit that would be applied toward the continued impoundment during the appeal.

Any person found guilty of violating the vicious animal ordinance is subject to a fine that ranges from $100 to $1,000 for each violation.

Under the city’s previous vicious animal ordinance, the police department could not seize the animal. Capt. Chris Workman pointed out that a person could be charged with violating the ordinance but it could take as long as three months before a decision was reached in court.

Workman said the new ordinance is a “good thing because it gives us a little bit more leeway in keeping a vicious animal from running at large.”

Workman said any seized animals would be taken to the city’s animal shelter.