06-10-74 Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING JUNE 10, 1974 OMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING (CONTINUED) RDINANCE AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 5, ANIMALS, OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND. is being the time heretofore set for public hearing on the above ordinance, proponents and ponents were given an opportunity to be heard. Council President Nemeth made the presentation r the ordinance. He explained that the ordinance was an amendment proposed to Chapter 5 of the nicipal Code. He stated that there was a stray dog problem within the city and something must done about it. He did not feel that there was a question the condition could be tolerated. He elt there should be a good law to enforce. The basic section amended is Section 5 -16 which states hat no person shall allow a dog to run loose. The ordinance provides for licensed and unlicensed ogs in the event they are found running at large. If the dog is licensed, the city was to nofity he owner and was to release the dog to its owner upon the payment of an impoundment fee. If the og was not claimed within 10 days, the Humane Society would have custody or the animal would be estroyed. If the dog is unlicensed, it was to be placed in the custody of the Humane Society or estroyed. He proposed an amendment to adopt the present license tax of $2.00 and the impoundment ee to be set at $10.00, as those items within the ordinance had been left blank. He briefly talked bout arrangements to be made with the Humane Society regarding the keeping of stray animals. ouncilman Kopczynski made a motion to icense tax and the amount of $10.00 fo aragraph (d) to Section 5 -16: "The ow emoving the same in a proper container hall not permit the same to deposit ex otion. The motion carried. amend the ordinance by inserting the amount of $2.00 for the r the impoundment fee, and the addition of the following ner is responsible to remove any excrement from his dog by and disposing of it on his own property. The owner of a do crement in public parks." Councilman Taylor seconded the Mr. Maurice Cohen, 725 East Eckman Street, expressed support of the ordinance. He wondered if $24,000 was paid to the Humane Society each year, and if the city would utilize its own vans to pick up the stray animals. He stated that he had not received cooperation from the Humane Society on a particular instance when he had reported a sick dog running at large. Council President Nemeth stated that the Council would have to decide at the budget hearings if the $24,000 paid to the Humane Society would be continued. He stated that if, rather than construct a dog pound, the city hose to utilize the Humane Society, the city would have to pay some amount of money to the society for use of its pound. Mr. Cohen felt the city should investigate the possibility of building its own dog pound. Mr. Leo Wallisch, 446 LaPorte Avenue, stated that he appreciated Council President emeth's comments. He indicated that he represented the union at the Post Office, and that the esponsibility of the dogs remains with the owner, not society. He admitted that he loved dogs and that he felt the owners should be punished for allowing their pets to run at large. He felt that, since revenue sharing funds come from the taxpayers, they should be used to try and correct a city' problems. He cited instances of postmen being bitten by dogs. He felt this was the responsibility of the dog owners and the dogs should not be punished. Mr. Tom Dowell, Local Post Master, stated that, in another city where he had worked, the dog ordinance was quite similar to the South Bend proposal; however, the impoundment fees were much higher. He stated that mail cannot be delivered to residents of a block if dogs are roaming at large and have bitten the postmen. He felt this was also something to consider as it was a hardship on the residents. Mrs. Joseph Csiszar, Safety Chairman for the Parent- Teacher Association Council, felt that, if the ordinance was passed, the people would expect the administration to have enforcement of the ordinance and a program where the citizens would not be shuffled from the Humane Society to the city and back again. She indicated support of the ordinance if this could be accomplished. Dr. George Davis, a veterinarian at the Ireland Animal Clinic, indicated that he was a spokesman for the veterinarians and stated that this problem did not have an easy solution. He felt the key in all dog control programs that have worke in various cities comes from a centrally located organization. He stated that dog wardens should b sent out to pick up stray dogs. He stated that spay clinics are operating at a loss so this was no the answer. Mr. Roman Kowalski, 802 Birchwood, wondered where the fees and fines would be deposited, Council President Nemeth stated that the money would go into the General Fund. He stated that this money would be appropriated for enforcement of the ordinance. Mr. Kowalski wondered, if the stray dogs were picked up and taken to the dog pound, how much time would be given to the owner before the animal was disposed of, and Council President Nemeth stated that the owner would have 10 days to claim the animal. Ms. Martha Flanagan, President of the Humane Society of St. Joseph County, stated that the stray dog situation was a big problem. She felt this was also the responsibility of the owner. She indicated that the Humane Society would be willing to cooperate with the city in any way possible. She stated that, at present, the Humane Society had two vans en route eight hour a day throughout the county. She stated that the society was doing the best job possible with the equipment and funds available to it. Mr. Ray Hernandez, 702 East South Street, asked about the rat of capture of stray dogs that have not been reported and those dogs that are called about. Ms. Flanagan cited one instance where the female animal catcher employed by the society brought in 18 dogs in one evening. She stated that the society tried to answer all calls and that the amount of pickup varied greatly from day to day depending on the weather, etc. Mr. Gene Evans, Executive Secretary of the Civic Planning Association, wondered about the capacity for handling the dogs at t Humane Society. Ms. Flanagan stated that about 200 animals could be handled comfortably at one tim Paul Eitler, past manager of the Humane Society, stated that stray dogs were a problem; however the Humane Society was not equipped to handle the job effectively and it was doing the best job possible. Mrs. Rogers, secretary of the Humane Society, stated that, in the 1940's and 50's the same problem existed in the community and the Mayor and every city official had been honest enough to tell the society that the dog problem was one of the biggest headaches government was faced with She stated that, at one time, the city had a very merciless dog pound and the Humane Society reliev those merciless conditions. She indicated that the society was doing the best job possible with the funds available. She felt there would be a duplication of services if the city utilized a pro- gram of vans and dog catchers, and she reminded the Council that, if the city assumed such a progra it would then become the "whipping boy" for the dog problem, not the Humane Society. Mr. Kowalski felt the city should work on getting the owners to license the dogs and charge an adequate fee for the license in order to support the program. He felt stray dogs that have no owners should be destroyed. Council President Nemeth felt a close watch would have to be kept on the dollar figure in case it was decided the fee was not high enough. Ms. Flanagan stated that it cost $133,000 to run the Humane Society last year. Mrs. Irene K. Gammon, City Clerk, stated that, as a former employee of the Assessor's Office, the employees went door -to -door in assessing personal property and dog owners were charged $3.00 for unspayed females, $1.00 for spayed females and $1.00 for male She stated that, in one year of going door -to -door, $7,000 was collected from dog owners. She stated that not many tags would be sold if the people had to come down to the County -City Building to license their pets. Mr. Walter Lantz, Deputy Controller, stated that only 350 tags have been sold this year, and it was pointed out there were over 40,000 dogs within the community.