Police Chief: Amended Vicious Dog Ordinance is Fair to Dogs, Owners and Ankeny Residents

Dogs, their owners and the public all benefit from an amended vicious dog ordinance approved Monday by the , said Police Chief Gary Mikulec.

“This issue is an old one, and one that we have needed to take action on for a long time,” he said. “The new ordinance makes a distinction between vicious and dangerous dogs, and provides specific actions owners can take to keep the dogs even after such a designation.”

In the old ordinance, a dog designated as vicious had to either be euthanized or removed from the city.

The amended ordinance takes effect Friday, Mikulec said.

Under the amended ordinance, a dog will be declared dangerous if:

• It bit a person or pet unprovoked while on private property.
• Chased a person in a threatening manner without provocation.
• Had the propensity to attack to cause injury or threaten the safety of people or pets.
• It is not in conformity with the city’s rabies ordinance/licensing.

If a dog is deemed dangerous, owners have to abide by several rules in order to keep the dog. If the dog breaks these rules, it would be declared vicious. These rules include placing an identification chip in the dog, attending behavioral classes and walking the dog on a four-foot leash.

In addition, a dog will be declared vicious if:

• It caused an injury resulting in broken bones or the need for sutures without provocation on private or public property.
• Kills a domestic pet or animal without provocation while off the owner’s property.
• It previously was found to be dangerous yet continued to bite, attack or endanger another human or pet.

Owners are not allowed to appeal either designation under the amended ordinance. Those whose dogs are deemed vicious will be required to abide by rules including dog behavioral training, having an identification chip placed in the animal, the use of a muzzle of the dog whenever it is outdoors.

Owners of dogs labeled as vicious also will have to display a sign in the window of their home declaring it the residence of a vicious dog and carry a $150,000 insurance policy.

Should any of these rules be violated, owners would be allowed to file an appeal with a three-person committee. Previously, appeals went directly to the City Council.

Jacquie Holm-Smith, an Ankeny resident and a member of the Ankeny Dog Park Task Force, said she was very pleased that the ordinance was adopted. “This provides a second chance for a dog and its owner, as well as an education opportunity for the owner,” she said.

“This seems to be more of a long-term solution,” Holm-Smith added.

Mikulec noted that while the number of dog bites number between 40 and 45 each year, the number of dog bites above the waist, mostly in the facial area, has increased from January through August this year. And, he added, a number of those bites were to children who tend to bend over to pet a dog, or get very close to them.

“This program allows the owners to take charge of their pets so they can keep them, as well as keeping the public safe,” Mikulec said.

He added that the police department is working with a couple of dog clubs and veterinarians in the area to compile a brochure on how dog owners can find the services they need to comply with the new rules.

Deb Dyar, the city’s public relations officer, said the city plans to launch a campaign to get Ankeny residents to license their pets. One of the problems the city has dealt with in the past is that a high number of vicious dogs have not been licensed.

Licenses are required for cats and dogs, Dyar said, adding that a $10 license is a good investment toward keeping a pet safe.

“We’ve had people who posted on Facebook that they have found a cat or a dog. We contact them and ask whether there is a license tag. On numerous occasions we have been able to reunite the animals and their owners,” she said.