[justjim]

Originally Posted by Rebel Pirate

There are no irresponsible dogs…only irresponsible dog owners. You shouldn’t have to pay the price for an owner who knows his dog is a threat to his neighbors. Since I don’t really live at TV yet, I’m unfamiliar with local laws. However, I had a similar experience in Virginia. I “let it slide” the first time and did not report it even though my dog was bit by the other dog. (No lesson was learned by the other dog owner.) About a year later the incident was repeated with the same dog and owner. This time I called Animal Control who sent an officer to investigate. The investigating officer asked if I wanted to press charges and since this was a repeat offense I did. I went to court and so did the owner. The judge asked us both to speak. I said that my only concern was that since it happened twice it might happen a third time…and I wanted it stopped. If it had been my wife walking our dog, she likely would have been bit since she would not have been able to pick up our dog as I was able. The judge put the fear of the law in the owner and assessed court costs but no fine. That got the owners attention and from then on they did not let their dog go without a leash in their yard. And, oh…it turns out that I was in violation of the law by not reporting the first incident during which my dog was bit; the county ordinance requires a report to animal control whenever a dog actually bites another pet or human. Again, I don’t know what local TV laws require, but I do know it’s important to comply with local laws. We’ll have to learn about those laws when we move to TV full time.

Does anyone know...in TV, do laws governing pets vary by county?...so that there are three different laws governing TV? If yes, can anyone on the forum provide a link to county pet laws? Thanks!

Rebel: I respectfully disagree with you and others who post "there are no irresponsible dogs only irresponsible dog owners". I've been told by a responsible dog trainer that there are some dogs that are just plain BAD. They can attack without warning----even mauling their owners. I certainly believe it because you can read about how the dog even killed its owner. Some breeds of dogs are very dangerous, especially around children. You can google dangerous breeds of dogs that have prove to be irresponsible. If you think you can control a bad dog, better think again. I know you are thinking their owner made them that way----better think again. Unfortunately there are bad dogs just like there are bad people. As far as pet laws vary by county---don't know but enforcement might. I think that in a retirement community like TV that more effort is made to solve the issues by dialogue instead of arrests or enforcement. Seems reasonable to me.