The York County, South Carolina council is updating several sections of the county’s animal control ordinance. The Public Safety Committee discussed this issue at their last meeting, and in its current form, the proposed ordinance targets “pit bulls” and/or “bully breed dogs.” One councilman has confirmed that the options being discussed include “regulating the breeding, sale and transfer of pit bulls and other dogs bred to fight; potentially prohibiting the tethering of bully breed dogs; and requiring bully breed dogs to be confined inside a house or inside a secure fence or other enclosure.”
I was advised by a second councilman that the county doesn’t want to cause problems for responsible owners. However, as we know, it is primarily ONLY the responsible dog owners who are affected by breed specific ordinance as the irresponsible and reckless owners have little regard for the laws already in place, and they ignore their duty to their dogs, as well as the community, to be responsible dog owners.
The Council will likely discuss the options further at their August 20, 2012 meeting. However, the Public Safety Committee will again be meeting again on Tuesday, August 14. The public can attend the meeting. Please call the city manager’s office for time and location.
In the meantime, please send your polite, respectful and informative letters in opposition to the breed specific ordinance currently before the York County officials. Please stress the need for strict enforcement of the current ordinance and holding reckless dog owners to a higher accountability regardless of the breed of dog they own. Please also include your viable suggestions and alternatives as the council seems willing to accept public input.
The proposed ordinance may be voted on later this month. If approved, it would then go to the individual municipalities in York County for adoption.
Councilmember David Bowman
572 Sweet Peach Lane
Fort Mill, SC 29715
David.bowman@yorkcountygov.com
Councilmember Eric Winstead
Vice-Chairman
459 Sutton Spring Road
York, SC 29745
ericwinstead72@gmail.com
Councilmember Chad Williams
1505 Clarendon Place
Rock Hill, SC 29732
District7@yorkcountygov.com
Councilmember Bruce Henderson
204 Memorial Drive
Clover, SC 29710
Bruce.henderson@yorkcountygov.com
Councilmember William “Bump” Roddey
P.O. Box 66
York, SC 29745
Bump.roddey@yorkcountygov.com
Councilmember Britt Blackwell
2020 Cavendale Drive
Rock Hill, SC 29732
blackwellpa@comporium.net
County council launches third attempt at Animal Control ordinance
Posted August 9, 2012
York County Council took another stab at updating the county’s Animal Control ordinance Thursday, as the county’s public safety committee addressed several revised changes to the law.
In its form now, the ordinance calls for county Animal Control officers to assume responsibility for enforcing the updated code from the Sheriff’s Office, requires the sterilization of a female dog tethered outside and identifies so-called bully breeds that are known to be dangerous.
York County Councilman Bump Roddey, who chairs the Public Safety committee, says this is the third time the county has sought to update the ordinance in the past year.
The remainder of the article can be found at this link:
http://www.wrhi.com/2012/08/county-council-launches-third-attempt-at-animal-control-ordinance-58413
