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St. paul to consider "stricter ,dog laws
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<br />Measures for canines labeled 'dangerou4'
<br />may be Un?.onstitutional,' attorney says
<br />
<br /> By Kev~n DuchSChere' ' '"
<br /> Star Tn'bune StaffWriter'
<br />
<br /> Six' mdnths after an Unteth-
<br />ered pit bull terrier mauled a.
<br />Frogtown resident, the St. Paul
<br />City Council will consider a pro-
<br />' posal to identify, and track vicious
<br />dogs better,
<br /> Under a proposed amendment
<br />to a city ordinance, Animal Con-
<br />trol officials would be allowed to
<br />consider more evidence to deter-
<br />mine whether a dog should be
<br />labeled dangerous. The city also
<br />· would mandate,higher 'liability
<br />insurance for owners of such
<br />dogs and be required to notify
<br />residents when the owner of a
<br />
<br />· Council Member Jerry Blakey',
<br />who represents,the' Frogtown
<br />neighborhood, said many of the
<br />problems with dogs are caused
<br />by.teenage/s who seek to emulate
<br />gang members or drug dealers
<br />who keep vicious dogs without
<br />knowing how to handle them. ": -
<br /> 'Right now there's almost thin'
<br />
<br />Public hearing
<br />),- What:'St Paul City ~ouncll
<br /> pubr~ hearing on proposed'-'
<br /> · . amendments for stricter '.:,
<br />'. regulation and increased .
<br /> enforcement regarding dan.'.
<br />-.. gerous dogs.
<br />:~ When: 5~0 pm.'tod~y, ' ·
<br />~ ,Where: Council Chambers,'
<br />· :.' thud flc~r, St, Paul ,City Hair '
<br />~' "'";' : "' .'i' '.'"'!' - "'~'
<br />
<br />l~ckadalsical approach of owning ::" ' "'" '-' .' '
<br />
<br />-Paul, who repres'ents the Frog-
<br />town area, said if the proposal
<br />isn't 'approved, he will try to
<br />change state law so 'that owner-
<br />ship of specific breeds, such as
<br />pit bulls and Rottweilers, could
<br />be regulated. ' - . ~
<br />"Tanick, who is national coun-
<br />sel for the American Dog Owners
<br />Ass6ciation, said that a bree.d-
<br />specific law passed by Minneapo-
<br />lis in 1988 was-later found uncon-
<br />stitutional. He said 'that the St.
<br />Paul proposal' b6uld meet with
<br />
<br /> dangerous dogs," said Blakey,':" reqQire .~owners of' dangerous the same fate.' ..'. :y '...: ':'.-
<br /> who is' sponsoring the proposal dogs tO carry $500,000 worth of : "The real pi'oblem is that the
<br /> withcolleagueJayBenanav, .: · ..' :, public liabilitY insurance, fa'thor . grounds .:by '.which dogs are
<br /> Experts saythat nationally,, the ,.than the'S300,000 under the cur- deemed dangerous are loose a2nd
<br />'hurhber of dog attacks, partict/-' tdnt 6rdinance. That .re.ay mean / not well-deFined and that leads to
<br />larly those o'n children, is rising. :"slightly highei' annual insurance "overkill," he-. sald.L"Owners',will
<br /> Dog bites requiring medical at- :.' pr.emiums for some dog owners, "' start' hiding their:dogs .'Oi lose
<br />· tention jumped 37 percent in the . but It also could tip offinsurance., theirinsuran~e,~-.:.~ ,-..'. ~.'.'::,.'.-z:
<br /> Unlted,.StCes between 1986.and 'i compa'nies to probl.ems Mth.vl- '.':f ' ..':': · ':"...'.; ;.-'}"i'.-':' '; '",'::
<br />
<br /> 'dangerous dog moves onto theft 1994. That's partly because more 'cious dogs. .' .... " .;·' '
<br />block -- much like recent notifi- people are using breeds generally "~;-.i' Ci'W officials hav~ r/o idea how
<br />cation laws concerning sex of- deemed more aggressive, such as" many dangerous dogs hre in St..
<br />fenders. : · . · '.' - .'. ': R. ottweilers, . to protect, them- Pa'ul;. but think there ar~' mo~e
<br />Some oi the measures, to be selves, Officials at Regions Hospi--. than the 49 'whose- owners".ap:.
<br />discussed today at a pUblic hear- tal in St. Paul told City Council/ pealedthekcaseslastYeai',...5.;"
<br />· lng in City Hall, "would go farther, researchers thai · th'e :. hospital .'~ ';'.Un'd~r~th'~'propbsal;".~",cliT'- }
<br /> and be .broader than most laws., treated 653 dog bit~s in the pa~t ;.~'would'require its Animal
<br /> like this around the'~ountry' said year'.T, Oo-thirds re/iuired J. mine:" '; Depariment f6 ~h~ckon the dogs'[ l0
<br /> Ma/shall Tanick, a Minneapolis ' diate medical attention; six War~'; each.year mensme that(o~mers
<br />
<br /> !
<br /> attorney who specializes in cases , life-threatening. · "' ,. ,: ' comply wi[h'Eity regulations.
<br /> · involving dogs. He also said parts · State law prohibits crees from ..~ '. It also calls for establishing a · .: :·.:.;. -
<br /> of the amefidmeni may even be declaring a dog dhn~erous based '/ notification '. s~,ste/n"
<br /> unconstitutional.' solely on its breed. But the St.' neighbors abreastofthepresence } ~
<br /> Yet one City CoUncil member ' Paul proposal would allow the ,. . .
<br /> · 'of a dangerous.dog whenever a I
<br /> argues that the changes are nec- city to consider more'evidence, resident with such a doSn~oO~.S.] ·
<br /> essary to improve the quality of including wounds on the animal, onto their block. Owners
<br /> life in several neighborhoods, es- or the discovery of dog-fighting' Iow a dangerous dog to roam free
<br /> pecially those in the Frogtown §ear belonging to the dog's own- . would be subject to a $300 finel '
<br /> andMidwa, yareas, er, The amendment' also would · · R,ep..,~dy Da..wkin. s, DFL-St.
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