Click here to download a PDF version.
Community education.
Using the fees generated from increased penalties and differential licensing, communities should consider offering basic pet ownership classes, particularly in underserved areas of the community.
Community-friendly reporting system.
Using fees generated from increased penalties and differential licensing, communities should consider instituting a hotline number or an 800 number that would allow citizens to report dogs running at large, dogs behaving in a potentially dangerous manner, or other animal control ordinance violations. This system could be particularly effective if implemented at the regional level, with operators trained in dispatching calls to the appropriate shelter or animal control agency.
Regionally enforceable dangerous dog ordinances.
Communities should work together on a regional level to ensure (1) strong dangerous dog ordinances are in effect across jurisdictional lines and (2) ordinances are being uniformly enforced throughout the region.
Integration of education and enforcement programs.
As part of the sentencing process information about sterilization, vaccinations, and community animal resources should be given to animal ordinance violators. Depending on available community resources, courts may elect to dispense free or subsidized spay/neuter vouchers to ordinance violators (particularly where violators have been ordered to sterilize their animals).
The Coalition for Living Safely with Dogs is a coalition of animal health and welfare orgaizations in Colorado framing the civic conversation about dangerous dogs.
|
|