Diplomacy

I have seen lots of diplomacy in action .  The most diplomatic at the meetings has been Ms. Bryant of the Animal Welfare Network of East Tennessee . She has been a tenacious advocate for both the humans and the dogs . Also diplomatic has been Clint Huth , Dunlap’s Chief of Police . Clint Huth has been a real advocate for the humans and the law . Almost everyone there has been effective in seeing things move ahead and have been reasonable many times at the meetings especially when there seemed to be an impassable object or a stumbling block .

Animal control laws that are unclear are difficult to enforce . The committee is discussing the exact wording of local ordinances and laws that will be sent to the Dunlap City Council and Sequatchie County Commission for recommendation . So far they will be recommending fines for dogs at large , vicious dog impounding and dog registration in the city limits . It looks as if the county ordinances and city ordinances will be different .

The City

Vicious dogs will be a top priority . If your dog bites someone you will pay . If your dog does not have a Rabies vaccine you will pay more . Dogs at large will not be permitted this will no longer be a “free range” city for dogs . The City of Dunlap is almost ready to move into the 21st century and require dog registration . This will allow proper enforcement of Tennessee law and make the local laws they wish to pass enforceable .

The County

Vicious dog will be handled just as within the city but:

The county is balking at mandatory animal registration which seems key in enforcing the ordinances . This seems like an error in judgment or an attempt to pass another set of ordinances that can’t really be enforced . Saying that people who own packs of hunting dogs in the county would not like to register their dogs is simply a dodge of the issue . Nobody “wants” to register their dog .  Sometimes the county forgets the city lies within its borders and has a population . We are all county residents .

Inaction an Option ?

It is such a shame that laws must be passed to make some people responsible dog owners . If you live here you will eventually meet up with a stray dog that will bite you . If you are an adult not at eye level with the dog you may not have any lasting damage . If you are a child at eye level with a vicious dog you may be  disfigured ,  emotionally scarred or killed . If you are considering inaction read this page and think again . Click here