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Bob Marotto said there was a case a few months ago, where the County had to ride <br /> with police on a drug warrant. He said there was information that there were 15 dogs involved <br /> with illegal dogfighting. He said there was no direct testimony available, but paraphernalia <br /> was found, and it was used to build a case. This is the reasoning for the precautions. <br /> Commissioner Price asked where the ordinance against dog fighting is located. <br /> Bob Marotto said the County resorts to state statutes for that. <br /> Chair Jacobs asked if there are fire standards for kennels. <br /> Bob Marotto said, for most kennels, there is a planning and zoning process. He said <br /> Animal Services has been responsible for the animal welfare and less for the building <br /> structure. <br /> PUBLIC COMMENT: <br /> Kris Bergstrand has been a Veterinarian for 33 years. She said she has experience in <br /> small animal practice, academia, pharmaceutical research and toxicology. She said she has <br /> been on the ASAB in the past, and during that period of time she heard many dangerous dog <br /> appeals. She said there was always a veterinarian on board, with ordinance in hand during <br /> the process. <br /> She said she was here to show support for this unified ordinance. She said there has <br /> been a tremendous amount of work and cooperation between the County and the towns. She <br /> found during the tethering ordinance-process, that residents on both sides criticized the board, <br /> and made wrongful assumptions. <br /> She gave the Commissioners a hand out regarding statistics about dog bites in rural <br /> versus urban areas. <br /> Ed Johnson said he is submitting public comment on behalf of Bob Epting, who was <br /> unable to attend. He submitted the following written statement from Bob Epting: <br /> FROM BOB EPTING: <br /> I have just received the materials you are being provided for your agenda item pertaining to <br /> revision of the animal control ordinances into a Unified Ordinance. <br /> While the original idea of consolidating the several Town and County ordinances into a <br /> Unified Ordinance was a good one, the revised drafts go far beyond the simple consolidation <br /> the Board envisioned and directed. We appeared and complained about this gross <br /> enlargement of authority, resulting in the elimination of citizens' rights under the existing <br /> laws,at your meeting before the summer break. <br /> Sadly,the draft "Unified"ordinance retains the features we complained about, and still <br /> exceeds your charge of simplification and consolidation. <br /> In particular, I note that the provision in the existing law permitting a person to keep a <br /> watchdog, and protecting the animal and its owner from vicious animal designation and legal <br /> liability, (if the animal bites a trespasser on the owner's property), has been deleted. Thus, <br /> the intruder is to be protected, while the owner is directed to lock up his dog for the rest of <br /> its life, all for doing what the owner expected to protect his family and property. <br /> Those who propose the "Unified"ordinance say they have retained the "sentry dog" <br /> designation, which requires the animal to be trained or conditioned (no definition, discretion <br /> of the AS Director, I suppose), and the property to be marked "No Trespassing." They argue <br />