DOG
GONE IT
The
Pine Brook Press received two
letters and several phone calls on the subject of dogs – dogs barking and
dogs running loose. We print the letters below and hope all dog owners will
read and consider them.
One phone call
was potentially quite serious. It was from the daughter of one of our
beloved longtime residents, who recently celebrated an 89th
birthday. Dogs have been running loose on this senior resident’s property
and deck, jumping on him and threatening his balance. His daughters try to
encourage him to stay inside, but he should not have to suffer house arrest
because of what Boulder County Ordinance 97-1 defines as illegal activity:
“It shall be unlawful for the owner of any dog to fail to prevent the dog
from running at large in the entire unincorporated area of
Boulder County.”
Although the dogs in question are friendly, Boulder County Ordinance
defines a “dangerous dog” as “any dog that, without
provocation…has demonstrated tendencies that would cause a reasonable person
to believe that the dog may inflict serious bodily injury upon or cause the
death of any person.” The daughter of our elderly neighbor is a
reasonable person.
Some callers
have wondered whether they have any legal recourse when they are troubled by
habitually barking dogs. They do. To quote again from the Boulder County
Ordinance: “It shall be unlawful for any person owning or keeping a dog
to fail to prevent such dog from disturbing the peace of any other person by
loud, persistent and habitual barking, howling, yelping or making any
other loud, persistent and habitual noise, whether the dog is on or
off the owner’s premises.”
Penalties for
the owners of dogs running at large or habitually disturbing the peace range
from fines to imprisonment – of the owner, not the dog (although a dog
deemed dangerous can be euthanized). Anyone troubled by dogs barking or
running at large will surely want to talk first with the owner. If that is
ineffective one can call the Boulder County Sheriff at (303) 441-3626. Be
prepared to give your name, the name of the owner (if known) and a
description of the dog with specific information as to the problem.
No one wants to
bring down The Law against a neighbor. And most Pine Brook dogs are a
pleasure to have in the community. But if you own a dog, think of your
neighbors. Let’s cherish the peace we have in Pine
Brook
Hills.
Copies of Boulder County’s animal control ordinance 97-1 are available from
the Sheriff’s Department or The Pine Brook Press.
From
The Pine Brook Press, Autumn, 01
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