A pair of vicious dog citations were issued in the
aftermath of a dog attack at a Memphis residence that left a total of
four family pets deceased.
According to the Memphis Police Department, A PAIR OF PIT BULL-CROSS DOGS entered the yard of the Alan and Tammy Adams
residence at 517 W. Missouri Street. The two dogs allegedly killed the
Adams’ cat and their dog before both attackers were shot and killed by a
resident of the home.
Citations were issued to the dogs’ owners,
Christopher M. Kissell, 30, and Cody R. Kissell, 22, of Memphis, for
being in violation of the city vicious dog ordinance. No citations were issued for discharging a firearm within city limits.
Missouri statute 273.033 states “In any action for
damages or a criminal prosecution against any person for killing or
injuring a dog, a showing by a preponderance of the evidence that such
person was in reasonable apprehension of imminent harmful contact by the
dog or was acting to prevent such imminent harmful contact against
another person by the dog shall constitute an absolute defense to
criminal prosecution or civil liability for the killing or injuring of
such animal. The court shall award attorney’s fees, court costs, and all
reasonable expenses incurred by the defendant in defense of any
criminal prosecution or in any civil action brought by a plaintiff if
the court finds that the defendant has an absolute defense.”
Missouri Statute 273.030 authorizes any person, who
has discovered any dog(s) in the act of killing, wounding or chasing
other animals, to immediately pursue and kill the attacking dogs so long
as they are not killed in any enclosure belonging to, or being in
lawful possession of the dogs’ owner.
City ordinance defines vicious dogs as any canine
that without provocation has bitten or attempted to bite a person or has
placed any person in apprehension of immediate serious physical injury,
or that has killed another dog, cat or domestic animal. Any pit bull dog is considered a vicious dog by definition.
It is illegal to keep a vicious dog in city limits,
unless it is done so in confinement of a home or a locked pen or
kennel, which includes a secured floor and top. The ordinance also
requires display of beware of dog signage on the kennel and/or home.
City Marshall Bill Holland noted the most difficult
part of enforcing the vicious dog ordinance is identifying pit bulls,
which basically depends on the owner disclosing the dog’s breed and
voluntarily adhering to the guidelines.
2 comments:
"City Marshall Bill Holland noted the most difficult part of enforcing the vicious dog ordinance is identifying pit bulls, which basically depends on the owner disclosing the dog’s breed and voluntarily adhering to the guidelines."
I'm glad that they have the law in place that they do, and it sounds like they try to enforce it except for this last paragraph. Any idiot can identify a pit bull, especially after they've attacked. Plus everyone knows how often pit owners are honest about their dog and following laws after their dog's attacked. I'm so glad the homeowners were able to at least end the mauling careers of these two pits.
It's nice to see some citizens following the law by killing attacking pit bulls. Most states have laws that allow this, so it always baffles me why people wait for 'authorities' to do what we pay them to do (but what they are too lazy to do).
As long as people keep letting pit bulls leave the mauling scene alive, the nutters will continue to let their pit bulls roam, maraud, and kill. The more we use the laws on self-defence and defence of our normal animals, the more the nutters will suddenly stop having 'oopsies' and start containing their ugly grippers.
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