Reply #36: The Law is very clear on this. [View All]

[BiggJawn]

I imagine it's the same in most states.
Here's a typical County ordinance:ORDINANCE 93-25-CM

ANIMAL CONTROL ORDINANCE FOR UNINCORPORATED TIPPECANOE COUNTY

SECTION I. PURPOSE

This ordinance is intended to protect the public health, safety, and welfare of the unincorporated Tippecanoe County by establishing reasonable and effective regulations concerning the licensing, inoculation, impounding, and keeping of dogs, cats, and other animals kept as pets.

SECTION II. DEFINITIONS

(A) Animal: Kept as a pet, any domestic or wild animal maintained for the emotional benefit of the owner and not used in commercial enterprise.

(B) Animal-At-Large: Any animal not under the restraint of a person capable of controlling the animal on or off the premises of the owner.

(C) Animal Control Officer: Any person who has been employed as such by the Board of Commissioners or the Animal Control Commission.

(D) Animal Shelter: Any facility operated by a humane society, or it’s authorized agents, or operated under contract or agreement with the Board of Commissioners or the Animal Control Commission for the purpose of impounding animals under the authority of this ordinance or state law for care, confinement, return to owner, adoption, or euthanasia.

(E) Dog, Cat, and animal: Both male and female.

(F) Domestic Animal: (1) Cattle, calves, horses, mules, swine, sheep, goats, dogs, cats, poultry, or other bird, (2) any animal of the bovine, equine, ovine, caprine, porcine, canine, feline, or avian species; (3) an aquatic animal that may be the subject of aquaculture.

(G) Identified Complaint: A complaint in which the identity of the complainant is known to the Animal Control Officer or Sheriff’s Department or Tippecanoe County Health Department and whose identity is made a matter of public record or released to any person desiring the same.

(H) Official Warning: A written notice or warning based upon an identified complaint and given to the owner of an animal by the Animal Control Officer, Sheriff, or other member of the County Sheriff’s Department or by an employee of the Tippecanoe County Health Department. Official warning may be given in person or by phone when followed by a written notice.

(I) Owner: Any person owning, keeping, or harboring one or more animals. An animal shall be deemed to be harbored if it is fed or sheltered for three consecutive days or more.

(J) Public Nuisance: Any animal or animals that unreasonably annoy humans, endangers the life or health of other animals or persons, or substantially interferes with the rights of citizens, other than their owners, to enjoyment of life or property. The term “public nuisance animal” shall mean and include, but is not limited to, any animal that:

(1) is found at large;

(2) damages the property of anyone other than its owner;

(3) molests or intimidates pedestrians, bicyclists, or passersby;

(4) chases vehicles;

(5) excessively makes disturbing noises, including, but not limited to, continued or repeated howling, barking, whining, or other utterances causing unreasonable annoyance, disturbance, or discomfort to neighbors or others in close proximity to the premises where animal is kept or harbored;


Note the section on "Nusiance". If the dog is found AT LARGE, and molests or INTIMIDATES a pedestrian or cyclist...

That is usually interpreted around these parts to mean that once an un-restrained dog leaves private property and set one PAW on the public road, his ass is MINE!.

I carry pepper spray, I have ever since a pack of dogs herded me into a stubble field and wrecked me, causing puncture wounds from the soybean stalks. I still have scars from that.

Save yourself and society a lot of heart-ache, fence those dogs, please?