The Marion County Board’s Community Relations Committee will present an ordinance to the full county board Tuesday night to fine those who allow their dogs to become a nuisance and run at large on other people’s property.
County Board Chair Debbie Smith says State’s Attorney Tim Hudspeth is supportive of the ordinance and will give it a final review before the full county board meeting.
Community Relations Committee Chair Bill Henson explains the ordinance.
“We are trying to make sure we don’t have dogs habitually running off their owners property and additionally making sure we don’t have dogs that are a danger to the public. So we are going to give the Animal Control Warden the authority to first give a written warning and if that doesn’t succeed he will have the opportunity to issue a violation. The first offense is a warning, 2nd is a $100 fine, 3rd violation $200 and 4th violation a $300 fine.”
Henson emphasizes this is not a leash law.
“This is not a leash law. We are not enforcing people to have animals on a leash or caged up but we are telling people to keep their animals on their property so they are not a danger or nuisance to others.”
Henson says the sheriff’s department will be available to back the animal control officer when needed. He notes the language follows the state law. Those who are ticketed would have an opportunity to fight the ticket in court.
