Our View: Council is barking up the right tree - Opinion - MailTribune.com - Medford, OR

Mail Tribune (Medford, OR — Wayback)

2015-07-20

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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation  |  Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED   » NEWS NOW   Our View: Court issues civics lesson to school district       ...       State, miners headed for showdown over dredging       ...       Jacksonville to add downtown parking spots       ...       Our View: Court issues civics lesson to school district       ...       State, miners headed for showdown over dredging       ...       Jacksonville to add downtown parking spots       ...           OUR VIEW Our View: Council is barking up the right tree Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Dec. 28, 2014 at 12:01 AM Posted Dec. 28, 2014 at 12:01 AM »  Social News Central Point civic leaders are taking the right approach to curbing dangerous dogs with an ordinance that focuses on owners. The Central Point City Council could take final action on a draft ordinance at a meeting Jan. 8. If they approve the new law, it would take effect within 30 days. Central Point is only the latest city to grapple with the problem of dogs that attack other dogs or bite people, run loose or bark excessively. The greatest concern naturally involves dogs that injure people or other dogs, sometimes seriously. Central Point police estimate they deal with about one case a month of a dog biting a person, and dog-on-dog attacks about half that frequently. Calls for service involving barking dogs numbered 137 from July 2013 to July 2014, and calls for dogs reported "at large" totaled 111 during the same period. After studying the issue, the police department decided to follow the lead of other cities in the valley that enacted ordinances focusing enforcement on the owners of problem dogs rather than targeting specific dog breeds. Pit bulls — which are a general type of dog that may be one of several breeds or a combination of more than one — often are blamed for aggressive behavior while other breeds are not. But any dog can be dangerous in the wrong circumstances or when poorly trained by neglectful or irresponsible owners. Medford police came to the same conclusion earlier this year after the Police Advisory Committee looked into dog ordinances and recommended against any breed-specific ordinance. Medford had experienced a rash of dog-bite incidents, many of them involving pit bull-type dogs,  Dogs are popular in Southern Oregon, bringing pleasure and companionship to many. But they can be dangerous, and people who choose to be dog owners must accept responsibility for their pets' behavior, train them properly and keep them under control. It's reasonable for cities to adopt ordinances that impose consequences on dog owners who fail to live up to that responsibility. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Dec. 28, 2014 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments   Reader Reaction »  STAY INFORMED   Email NewsLetter   Sign Up Today   Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed   Email newsletter   Sign Up Today   Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.    Privacy Policy  |  Terms of Service  |  Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501