We Wish We Could Hear Burton's Thoughts on This

By Alicia Dorr in Miscellaneous on Mar 13, 2007 5:25PM

One thing that we could never abide was vicious dogs. The problem, you see, usually isn't the dog at all, but the crap-for-brains people who've abused them, neglected them, or trained them to be man eaters.

So, that's why we were pretty happy to hear that the City Council's License Committee, following Mayor Daley's cue, agreed to harsher penalties on owners for the "dangerous dog" ordinance. Owners of dangerous dogs already have to post warning signs and get insurance, among other things, but the previous fine for owners of dogs deemed dangerous was $100-300, and those guys can probably make that back in one of their illicit dog fights anyway.

New fines are much larger, as much as $5,000, and an owner with a dog that is considered a menace to society is also considered a menace to society, i.e. they could face jail time. Also, a "severe injury" from a bite wound won't necessarily be one that requires stitches, and Animal Care and Control will have greater access to dogs so it can test for rabies in those cases.

The best part is that the committee essentially dismissed any plans for breed-specific bans. We doubt you've ever met our neighbor's pit bull, but that pup is one of the sweetest animals we've ever come across. We can't imagine a ban on it or its kin — isn't that sort of doggie racism?

Image via Petsonthenet.co.nz.