The Independence Township Board amended their vicious dog ordinance after hearing from Sgt. Dirk Feneley and Lt. Dale LeBair at their Oct. 7 meeting.
The issue was brought to the board after officers were called to a scene when two pit bulls that managed to jump a fence and enter a neighbor’s yard mauled a labrador retriever, nearly to death.
“It took four officers and three animal control officers to get the dogs back into their own yard,” Feneley said.
When the case went before Judge Dana Fortinberry, the defense raised the vicious dogs ordinance, which took effect May 23, 2002, calls for the destruction of dangerous animals that “bite a person,” and does not address dangerous animals that bite another domesticated animal.
“We were lucky the retriever was not a four-year-old child,” Feneley said. “And I don’t want to wait until it is a child to get these dogs.”
The board voted 6-0 to amend the ordinance to include a dog that bites another domestic animal.
“We are just trying to head off a potential problem,” LeBair said. “This is not breed specific. We just don’t want to wait until a little child gets hurt. This is not something we will use regularly. This may happen once or twice a year.”
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In other action the board:
• Approved the first reading rezoning from OS-2 (Office Service 2) to PUD (Planned Unit Development) for 1.35 acres on the east side of Sashabaw and south of Waldon across from Independence Town Square Shopping Center.
Vision Development represented by Tom Althoff requested the rezoning for purposes of constructing a car wash facility.
“I think it might be one of the nicest car washes in Michigan when it is finished,” Trustee Daniel Travis said.
• Approved the appointment of Thomas P. Andrews to the Zoning Board of Appeals. Andrews will replace Fred Neumark whose term ends Dec. 31, 2003.
• Approved the hiring of Susan Gessford as Library Tech I-Circulation effective Oct. 8, 2003. Gessford replaces Heather Kosbab.
• Approved the promotion of Kim Adkins from Appraiser Aide to Appraiser I effective Oct. 13, 2003.