Appointed Committees

ANIMAL ORDINANCE COMMITTEE November 14, 2017 Page 1 Committee Members Present: Shannon Straight, Sara Bloom, Randy McDonald, Marshal Platz, Richard Sabol, Rob White Members Absent None Chairman Straight called the meeting to order at 7:02 pm at the Minot Municipal Auditorium. Introduction Alderman Straight introduced the Committee. He then explained, they were appointed by the Mayor after a few individuals came before the Council and requested that changes be made to the current animal ordinance. He encouraged those in attendance to reach out to him and to other Council members to voice their concerns before the full City Council takes action. Approval of Minutes Richard Sabol moved the committee approve the minutes of the November 2, 2017 committee meeting. Motion seconded by Randy McDonald and carried unanimously. Reason’s to End Breed Specific Legislation in Minot Alderman Straight introduced Samantha Gores who gave a presentation on Breed Specific Legislation in Minot, also referred to as BSL. She explained reasons to eliminate Breed Specific Legislation, starting with how breed identification is subjective. She gave several examples of different dogs and said that even animal experts are unable to accurately determine a dog’s breed without DNA testing. The behavior of a dog is more relevant than the breed but behavior is based on a variety of factors and cannot be predicted by breed. She continued by saying, Breed Specific Legislation is costly to law enforcement and is difficult to enforce. She stated, there have been 256 pit bull related service calls in Minot between May 2014 and December 2016, which uses valuable resources. She also described the effect the ban has on the animal shelter. On average, it takes a pit bull 18 weeks to be adopted to a family who is legally allowed to own them whereas other breeds of dogs take an average of only 5 weeks. She explained the financial impact the ban has on Souris Valley Animal Shelter by saying it spends about $10 per day on each dog and the longer they stay, the more money is spent. She demonstrated using maps, the number of cities around North Dakota and the United States that have repealed BSL. Ms. Gores also listed several organizations that do not endorse BSL, including American Bar Association, American Kennel Club, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, American Veterinary Medical Association, Association of Professional Dog Trainers, Humane Society of the United States, National Animal Control Association, State Farm Insurance, and the Obama Administration. Ms. Gores proposed repealing Section 7-34 from the City of Minot Code of Ordinances and creating a Dangerous Animal Ordinance to protect Minot citizens. The dangerous animal ordinance should be breed neutral and include all animals. She recommended including a program similar to one used in Fargo for correcting potentially dangerous dog behavior. She concluded by saying, Breed Specific Legislation is ineffective, expensive and does not protect the community. ANIMAL ORDINANCE COMMITTEE November 14, 2017 Page 2 Committee and Public Questions Lianne Zeltinger, a Minot resident, described some aspects of the Fargo ordinance relating to dangerous and potentially dangerous dogs. Through their program, any dog found to be dangerous or potentially dangerous is required to undergo obedience training, must be registered with the City, and is subject to a registration fee. To remove the designation, the dog must attend a minimum of 16 weeks of dog training, pass a Canine Good Citizen Test and ensure no complaints are received about the dog for 12 months. Alderman Straight read a statement sent by retired City of Minot Animal Control Officer, Dick Schnell. “All dogs will bite, I have heard the argument that Pit Bulls don’t bite any more often than other dogs, this may be true, some statistics show that it is true, I won’t argue that point. Before allowing Pit Bulls or Pit bull type dogs in the city research the National Pit Bull Victim Awareness and DogsBite.org web sites, these sites track the reported, key word here is reported, Pit Bull attacks on people and animals in the US. I investigated 100’s of dog bite cases in my 20 plus years as an Animal Control Officer, the most horrific case was a Pit Bull Attack in the Des Lacs ND I assisted Ward County with. A Pit Bull bite is usually ferocious with stronger than average jaws and they usually grab and hold their victim and shake their head to tear the skin and break bones. When looking at changing these ordinances or restrictions please consider the good of the one or the few should never out way the good of the many or the majority.” Upon questioning by Alderman Straight, Tanya Mendelsohn, Animal Control Officer, explained the challenges in identifying breeds of dogs. She said, the officers do the best they can to work within the constraints of the ordinance, so when they encounter a dog that appears in their opinion, to be a pit bull, they write a citation which is then sent to a judge. The owner can dispute the allegation and get a DNA test, which is admissible in court and the judge determines the penalty. Members of the community spoke in favor of a dangerous animal ordinance being more beneficial to Minot residents. There are dogs of other breeds who have attacked people or other dogs without a consequence but once a pit bull is identified, it is removed from the city within 24 hours. It is believed by some that a stronger ordinance against the behavior would be more efficient than an ordinance banning specific breeds. Marshal Platz reminded everyone that in these situations, it is important to take out the emotion and present clear concise facts in order to come to a solution. Alderman Straight invited everyone to attend the committee meeting the following day and to bring suggestions for specific requirements to include in the ordinance. Adjournment There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:07 pm. Respectfully Submitted, Kelly Matalka City Clerk