Tuesday, August 31, 1999
City may require registration of vicious pets
Covington law to be discussed
BY CINDY SCHROEDER
The Cincinnati Enquirer
COVINGTON — In an effort to put more teeth into Covington's vicious-animal ordinance, the city may soon require residents to register all dangerous animals with police.
Registration of vicious dogs, such as pit bulls, or exotic animals — including snakes and bears — is one of several proposed changes that city commissioners will discuss at tonight's meeting.
The changes — as proposed by Commissioner Jim Eggemeier — also would include providing proof of an insurance liability policy, or posting a $100,000 bond to cover any injuries caused by a vicious animal.
“These (proposed changes) would make vicious animals the responsibility of the police department,” said City Solicitor Joe Condit. “Right now, they fall under the responsibility of housing and general services.”
The suggested changes — modeled on an ordinance adopted by Maysville, two years ago — also would make each incident a separate offense for purposes of punishing the animal's owner, Mr. Condit said. The proposed amendments call for a $250 fine and up to 90 days in jail for the first offense; the second and subsequent offenses each would require a $500 fine and up to a year in jail.
“We've discussed this for a while,” said Commissioner Jerry Bamberger. “I'd like to see us make sure that people who have vicious animals control them in the proper way.”
Commissioner Butch Callery, who proposed Covington's original vicious-animal law more than 10 years ago, said the changes were caused by recent incidents, such as a pit bull attack on a chow being walked by its owner.
Besides concerns about safety, Covington police also have complained that drug dealers keep vicious dogs as a lookout, or as a way of keeping police away.
Covington's proposed changes are modeled on a Maysville ordinance, which was amended in March to include snakes.
“We passed our law because we had several young adults who would walk pit bulls up and down the street,” said Maysville City Manager Dennis Redmond. “People were extremely threatened by the animals, and it was perceived as a psychological threat.”
While concerns about pit bulls spurred Maysville's legislation, that city's law also applies to any vicious mammal, marsupial, reptile or primate.
“We keep a record of vicious animals at the police department, and very often, in many of the neighborhood meetings, we make note of the vicious animals that are registered in a particular neighborhood,” Mr. Redmond said. “People have a right to own a vicious animal, but the neighbors have a right to know about it.”
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