Pit bull law changes coming

LIMA — Pit bull fans and foes should take notice: The city is poised to change how it enforces its laws concerning the dogs.

Law Director Tony Geiger expects to have legislation for City Council at its Monday meeting that would change the current court summons to a citation with fines. Council’s neighborhood concerns committee will discuss it tonight.

Violations include walking the dog without a leash or muzzle or owning a dog without insurance or owning more than one dog. Police officials and some members of the council asked for the changes.

Before the May 23 council meeting, councilors asked Geiger for an update on the legislation, proposed in November. At the time, residents, including parents whose child needed stitches in his face after a pit bull attack, approached the city about enforcement changes.

With the weather warming, pit bull issues are back in the neighborhoods and councilors, hearing from residents, expressed their frustration with a delay in proposed legislation.

“We need something quick,” 1st Ward Councilman Kurt Neeper said. “People are saying to me they’re just going to shoot these dogs.”

Geiger said that is not the answer.

“You need to tell your residents to not do that,” Geiger said.

Councilors Sam McLean, Teresa Adams and Jesse Lowe II have also pushed for the change and questioned the delay.

Geiger said some legal issues, especially waiting to see proposed changes at the state level, have delayed new legislation.

“The single biggest reason on waiting is to see what the state does,” Geiger said. “We like to eliminate confusion and conflict between state and city law. There are certain legal parameters to deal with when trying to have local police powers that are different than the state.”

Geiger said he will prepare legislation allowing for the citation (which actually lowers the level of crime from an arrest and court summons) that could need to be changed again if the state acts.

Previously officers didn’t always evenly enforce the pit bull laws because an arrest meant impounding a dog and that wasn’t always possible. Police officials said they believe the citation would mean consistent enforcement and should also gain compliance.

What the city cannot do with the change, Geiger said, is require a dog to be impounded. That is not a legal issue, but one of a lack of resources and capacity to deal with the dogs.