SUPERIOR, Wis. - When two vicious dogs tore apart a Pomeranian leashed in its yard, there was little Superior's animal control officer could do except return the out-of-control pets to the owner.
Under state law, the dogs had burned up only the first of two chances before HuÂmane Officer Chris Wagner could take action. When the dogs got loose again and injured a larger dog, she said the owner voluntarily relinquished the animals.
But a new law that went into effect this week in Superior gives Wagner the tools necessary to deal with volatile animals.
"I didn't have much recourse when animals would bite somebody four, five times -- I just had to keep giving them back to people," Wagner said. "[Now] I'm not necessarily going to be able to keep them, but I am going to be able to put some restrictions on them."
Under the new law, people with vicious animals can be held accountable for controlling their pets through a variety of measures including impounding, microchipping, kenneling, muzzling and other measures deemed appropriate to remove the threat to public safety.
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"We were lacking in that area," Wagner said.
"When you talk about quality of life in a neighborhood, it can be affected in a negative way by uncontrolled animals," Superior Police Chief Floyd Peters said.
The law more clearly defines behaviors that are considered nuisances -- such as loud or continuous barking or howling, molesting people or other domestic animals or chasing vehicles, running at large, defecating on public or private property not owned by the animal owner. It creates a mechanism for declaring animals as potentially dangerous and dangerous.
If a dog is declared dangerous or potentially dangerous, owners have 14 days to appeal the declaration.
If the owner doesn't appeal or loses an appeal, the law allows the city's animal control officer to order restrictions that include registering the dog as dangerous annually with the city. The owner also must comply with all restrictions or face hefty fines and risk seizure of the animal. The animal owner bears all costs, to include a $500 fee for registration, in addition to licensing, microchip implantation, sterilization and impound fees if the animal is seized.
"I'm not talking just any bite. I'm talking about something that's unprovoked," Wagner said. "You walk into someone's yard, the dog's protecting its property and you get bit, that wouldn't be included."
The law also better defines animal cruelty and what is adequate care for animals, and prohibits ownership, sale and purchase of exotic and large animals in the city.
The law also allows people to own up to three cats and three dogs.
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"Under the old law, if you had three dogs, you couldn't have a cat," Wagner said.
Violations of any element of the law can result in fines that range from $50 to $500 per day.
