The City of Jefferson is closing in on establishing a better procedure when handling animal-related complaints. 

The City Council at their December meeting approved the first of three required readings to amend an ordinance that would create an animal appeals board. City Administrator Scott Peterson says this entity would be called upon mostly if someone wanted to appeal the decision about their dog being determined to be an illegal animal because of a dog bite, which would mean the canine would need to be located outside of city limits. 

Currently, if there is an appeal by a dog owner that wants their pet to be changed from an illegal status to a vicious status or for the status to be removed entirely, the owner could only appeal to the City Council. Peterson explains the main reasons behind why an animal appeals board needs to be created.

“First and foremost is to really provide the best opportunity for the hearing for the person who is appealing the dog issue. When things have come to the city council it might have seemed to be a little haphazard or not everybody always had the information beforehand. But then also is a way for the appeal board itself to be better educated before the appeal hearing ever happens, they would really have the vast majority of the information would be already presented to them in a written format.”  

Peterson points out that the person appealing the initial decision would have to fill out an application and acknowledge all of the items that are required for keeping a vicious dog, including obtaining a quote to purchase specialized insurance, the animal would need to be microchipped, licensed with the city, providing proof of valid vaccines, etc. An additional step that Peterson details is if the owner does not agree with the animal appeals board’s decision, then they would go to district court. Peterson explains the reasoning behind that final step in the process.

“It is the idea again about providing that real good due process, being as thorough as possible, but it’s the appeals board making that decision and that being really the final arbiter as far as the city is concerned. That you’re certainly entitled to seek further action after that, but it would no longer be with the city, it’d be through the court.” 

Peterson adds that if an appeal is changed from illegal to vicious, the owner would have 90 days to comply with all of the ordinance requirements. He notes that the new entity would consist of the mayor, city administrator, two city council members, the police chief and two police officers that are not involved in the investigation of the current appeal. Peterson says two more required readings are expected at the subsequent meetings in January before it is finally adopted. Click the link below to review the proposed ordinance change.