Ordinance proposes tighter regulations

By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

Hillsboro city council reviewed a proposed new dog ordinance that would make sweeping changes to rules about keeping dogs in city limits.

Council members on Tuesday had their first reading of the proposed ordinance and will review it again next week.

The ordinance would impose special rules on owners of potentially dangerous or vicious dogs. The ordinance defines a “dangerous dog” as any dog with a propensity to attack unprovoked, kept primarily for dog fighting, used to guard property, determined to be dangerous in an administrative hearing, or that has been officially deemed dangerous.

Dangerous dogs must be kept confined, and must wear a leash and muzzle when not confined.

Owners must prominently display a “beware of dog” sign, obtain a $50 “dangerous dog” license, carry $100,000 liability insurance for injury or damage caused by the dog, and have the dog spayed or neutered and microchipped.

The ordinance lists 12 breeds of dogs considered capable of inflicting life-threatening injuries, including American pit bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, Argentine dogo, cane corso, chow, dogue de bordeaux, Doberman pinscher, fila brasileiro, German shepherd, perro de presa canario, rottweiler, Staffordshire bull terrier, and any dog that has the appearance and characteristics of any of those breeds.

The proposed ordinance also increases fines for dogs running at large. Fine start at $50 for a first offense and increase to $500 for a fifth offense, with offenses counted against the owner, not particular dogs.

If a dog creates a disturbance or nuisance, the owner can be fined $10 to $100.

The ordinance states that no dog will be declared potentially dangerous for injuring a person committing a crime on the dog owner’s property or teasing, tormenting, abusing or assaulting the dog. They also cannot be declared dangerous if the dog was protecting a person from an attack or assault, or if it injures an animal at large or that was the aggressor in an altercation.