Dog Attack: What Can Western Springs Do?

WESTERN SPRINGS, IL – Western Springs police have some power to begin a process that could result in the removal of a vicious dog.

The issue came up after a dog attacked and killed another dog and injured its walker late Sunday afternoon in the Ridgewood neighborhood.

The offending dog's owner was ticketed.

Emma and Scott Cohen owned Moxie, who died in the attack. They wondered whether the police could remove the dog from the property in question.

Patch asked police about its authority to remove a dangerous dog. The village's spokeswoman replied by sending the part of the village code and state law about such situations.

The village's ordinance is based on state law.

Under the code, any dog that bites a person or another animal or causes a visible injury can be declared a nuisance and impounded. A dog can be declared dangerous or vicious when a propensity to attack or bite humans or animals exists.

State law lays out the due process procedures for dealing with a dangerous dog. A seizure is not immediate and can only happen if the owner fails to take a number of steps for public safety, including setting up an enclosure for the dog.

Once a declaration is made, no owner of a vicious or dangerous dog can sell or give it away without informing authorities first.