This is a really good point, and I will be sure to bring it up. Like most laws and ordinances, I believe this one will be extra harsh, but fairly unenforced. It will be in place simply to give the city something to fall back on in case of a major issue, or a horrid owner/dog.
Cities use fines, fees, and licenses as a tax base for operations, this is like hiring code enforcement officers and a munincipal judge to patrol the neighborhoods looking for cracks in driveways, and fining the homeowner for having dangerous cement. You have had a dog or two yourself, per your posts on another thread, so I won't say you just don't care about the animals. But this ordinance is not about the dogs. Let me show you what kind of thinking would be going on if it was about the dogs.
Scenario One: Neighborhood Tough trains his attack dog to mangle ducks. Mama and toddler waddle by, and the dog dismembers them both. Murder One, death row. For the tough and the dog. The dog cannot be rehabilitated either.va
Scenario Two: Neighborhood dogfight racketeer is busted for ten dogs irreversibly trained to fight to the death. Idiot human given five to ten for malicious mistreatment of animals. Dogs destroyed to protect other dogs' safety.
Scenario Three: Neighborhood family dog is tormented by kid and dog snaps back in warning/self-defense. Kid gets one week cleaning the stalls at the city pound, feeding the animals and giving each dog one hour of supervised quality time, with required five hugs and ten kisses---five to each dog cheek--- for each dog. Second offense--- one month riding with the dogcatcher while he rambles on like "babe" does in here.
Scenario Four: Teenage girl with four-legged security attendant is whistled at, then confronted on the street by three teenage cool dudes. Dog raises hackles, snarls, and then solidly bites the dudes who won't give way for her to pass. Dog gets Community Watch Hero award, a month's supply of chew toys, and a medal lauding his diligence.
Scenario Five: Old couple is subjected to Home Invasion/robbery, but the gang encounter two serious German Shepherd home security agents. The gang is thrown into panic, two are hauled down by the dogs and given lifelong scars in the head, neck, arms, and legs. . . . the others flee. The old folks are given medals for making a significant contribution to city safety, the dogs are given badges as Associate Police Officers, and get their pictures on the halls of the Justice Court.
Hauling dogs away to the pound for doing what they're supposed to do---protecting their own---, to the best of their understanding, is just horridly cruel and inhumane, as well as insane.
The thousand dollar fine will pay only part of the salaries of the additional personnel at city hall, the police dept, the dog pound, and the municipal court, and the ordinance committee will just go on trying to close the gap by thinking of new fines and ordinances.
Even the insurance companies will lose on this one. . . . . maybe they'll pay out fewer huge settlements on dogbite cases, but they will pay out ten times more in theft/assault/crime payments to homeowners and citizens strolling in the streets.
