HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 08251987 - 2.5 Animal Services Department Contra Diane Iwasa
4849 Imhoff Place
Costa Animal Services Director
Martinez, California 94553-4393 County
(415) 372-2995
651 Pinole Shores Drive
Pinole, California 94564-2632
(415) 235-7666
TO: Board of Supervisors DATE: August 24, 1987
FROM: Diane Iwasa, Director SUBJECT: Proposed Ordinances
Animal Services De rtment
County Counsel has prepared three ordinance revisions for your consideration.
After staff review, I have the following comments and recommendations.
I . REGULATION OF PIT BULL DOGS:
416-18.002 Registration of Pit Bull Dogs
(d) Insurance: We recommend that the Risk Management Division of the
County Administrator 's Office be requested to review this aspect
of the ordinance. Our discussions with Risk Management Division
would lead us to believe that there would be some problem with dog
owners obtaining insurance. Additionally, we are informed that
monitoring of the policies would be required and is sometimes
complex. Risk Management also informed us that there might be
additional liability risks for the County.
(e) Authorization: Amend this section to say that proof acceptable to
the Animal Services Director be provided.
(f) This section should specify that the photographs be acceptable to
the Animal Services Director.
416-18.004 Keeping of Pit Bull-type Dogs
Part (e) should be added as follows:
(e) Sterilization: All owners, keepers or harborers of Pit Bull-type
dogs must, at the time of registration, present proof that the
registered animal has been spayed or neutered if it is over six
months of age or within 30 days of reaching six months of age.
416-18.010 Failure to Comply
Wording should be added to this section to allow the department to
humanely euthanize animals found in violation, giving the owner ten
days to appeal to the courts.
Board of Supervisors 2 August 24, 1987
The wording of the remainder of the ordinance amendment is acceptable as
drafted. If the Board elects to adopt a breed-specific ordinance, the follow-
ing issues should be considered:
(1) The positive identification of dogs of mixed breeding will be difficult
and subject to controversy and possible legal action.
(2) The enforcement ofa breed-specific ordinance may be costly and dif-
ficult to enforce. I previously submitted a budget for this program
which is attached to this report. My staff will not be able to
effectively carry out our existing responsibilities and enforce a ban
on Pit Bulls without additional resources.
(3) A ban on Pit Bulls will not eliminate the majority of dog bites. The
Board may wish to consider providing the resources to expand our edu-
cation program to help lessen the number of dog bites from all sources
that occur in the county each year.
II. PROHIBITION AGAINST ANIMALS IN PUBLIC BUILDING:
We approve of the ordinance amendment as drafted.
III. REGULATION OF DANGEROUS ANIMALS AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS ANIMALS:
416-12.426 Restriction on Future Ownership
This section needs to be rewritten to make it clear that if a person
has owned an animal that is declared dangerous, he/she may be
restricted in ownership of other animals of a like species. As writ-
ten, this section seems to imply that a person, who subsequent to a
dangerous animal declaration has in his possession the animal that
was declared dangerous, may be restricted as to future ownership.
Animals that are the subject of a dangerous animal hearing are
impounded and are not returned to the owner until a permit is issued.
416-12.405 Destruction of Dangerous Animal
Wording should be added allowing the owner ten days to appeal to the
courts.
The wording of the remainder of the ordinance amendment is acceptable as
drafted. The Board may wish to consider the following issues:
(1) The cost to implement this draft is less than a breed-specific ordi-
nance as it would be easier to incorporate with our existing proce-
dures and is subject to fewer challenges. (See attached budget.)
(2) The Board may wish to consider providing the resources to expand the
education program, as attached, in order to increase the effective-
ness of this draft amendment.
DI:ah
42-Pit.Ord
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ATTACHMENT 1
Cont ra Costa County
Animal Services Department
4849 Imhoff Place Diane Iwasa
Martinez , CA 94553 Animal Services Director
(415) 372-2995
TO: Board of Supervisors DATE: July 24, 1987
FROM: Diane Iwasa, Director SUBJECT: Supplemental Budget - Pit Bull
Animal Services Dep4qment Ordinance Enforcement.
At the request of the Internal Operations Committee, supplemental- budget
data is being submitted regarding the enforcement of proposed changes in the
Animal Control Ordinance relative to the regulation of Pit Bull type dogs.
These changes to the ordinance include the adoption of provisions similar to
those adopted by the City of Livingston.
Background•
The Animal Services Department is responsible for enforcing State and
County laws relative to the licensure, regulation, control, and care of animals
within the county. The department is responsible for providing these services
to 675,000 citizens within an area of approximately 750 square miles. These
services are provided on a 24-hour-per-day, 365-days-per-year basis. Last
year the department handled approximately 73,000 service calls. The depart-
Ment has 22 Animal Control Officers to provide this service.
The proposed ordinance, if modeled after Livingston, would provide the
following:
a. that no new Pit Bulls may enter the county;
b. that Pit Bulls currently residing in the county must be
registered with the county;
c. that Pit Bulls are to be confined indoors or in locked pens;
d. that Pit Bulls must be leashed, muzzled and in control of the
owner when outside their pens;
e. that all Pit Bull owners must post 'Beware of Dog" signs;
f. that all Pit Bull owners must maintain liability insurance in
the amount of $50,000;
g. that owners must provide to the county, color photographs of
the registered Pit Bulls; and
h. that all Pit Bull puppies be removed from the county within
six weeks of birth.
Enforcement•
The enforcement of the proposed ordinance would require that the Animal
Services Department take the following action:
Board of Supervisors 2 July 24, 1987
a. Contact all known Pit Bull owners and officially notify them of
the requirements.
b. Positively identify approximately 5,700 currently owned Pit Bulls
by matching photographs and physical descriptions of the dogs.
c. Inspect the property of all Pit Bull owners to enforce compliance
with the following:
1. registration
2. posting
3. restraint conditions
4. insurance requirements
d. Take enforcement actions against those not complying with the
ordinance inclusive of the following:
1. issuing citations
2. administrative appeals
3. court appearances
e.. Respond to citizen complaints related to nonregistered Pit Bulls
and noncompliance with the ordinance.
f. Monitor Pit Bull births to insure that all new Pit Bulls are
removed from the county.
g. Design and provide appropriate 'Beware of Pit Bull" signs.
h. Euthanize dogs that are illegally kept, harbored or imported into
the county.
i . Provide administrative time for appeal of a decision when the
department identifies a dog as a Pit Bull and the owner dis-
agrees.
Assumptions:
1. 5,500 Pit Bull type dogs.
2. An active enforcement effort that will be effective.
3. Three hours of field service times per dog per year.
4. One hour of clerical time per dog, per year.
5. One hour of administrative time per dog, per year.
6. Estimate of non-compliance 50%.
Salaries and Employee Benefits:
Eight Animal Control Officers @ $30,000 = $240,000
Three clerical employees @ $25,000 = 75,000
One Animal Control Supervisor @ $40,000 = 40 000
55,000
Board of Supervisors 3 July 24, 1987
Services and Supplies :
Communications $ 5,000
Medical and Lab Supplies 1,000
Clothing and Personnel Supplies 3,000
Professional and Specializing Services 1,000
Data Processing Services 5,000
Feed 1,000
Other Special Department's Expenses 8,00_00
Capital Items:
Eight Animal Control Vehicles $160,000
Total First Year Expenses: $539,000
Ongoing Expense: $370,000
Note: The above costs do not include attorney and court costs nor do
they include costs for any other department other than Animal Services.
MGR:mm
42-Supp.Budg
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