The Jefferson city council at its July 9 meeting granted a sort of reprieve to Lou, an 85-pound pitbull that left her yard, alone, and acted aggressively toward a neighbor and her much smaller dog.
The dog had been deemed illegal after the neighbor, Alicia Paup, said she had bitten her and her dog. The dog’s owners, Robert Gilmore and Nikki Townsley, appealed that designation at the June 11 council meeting. With councilman Darren Jackson absent, the council split 2-2 on a motion to change Lou’s designation to vicious. The motion was tabled.
Per city code, an illegal dog may not live in the city. A vicious dog may live in the city under several restrictions, including being indoors or in a kennel at all times.
Jackson had reviewed the video recording of the June 11 meeting and was familiar with the claims of Gilmore and Townsley and of Paup. The three updated the council and made brief comments at the meeting last week.
Townsley said Lou is now current on vaccinations and that the veterinarian said the dog displayed no aggressive tendencies. She pointed out that the pictures Paup showed at the June meeting showed no blood on the dog or herself, and that per the city ordinance, drawing blood is needed for a “vicious” or “illegal” designation to be used.
Angela Milakovich, vice president of People Active for Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) said she visited Lou, and the dog was very friendly, not only with her, but with her children.
Gilmore said he still doesn’t believe his dog bit Paup or the smaller dog, noting that the measurement on the puncture wounds the two sustained didn’t match the size of Lou’s jaw. “She would have crushed, mangled, destroyed if she bit,” Gilmore said.
Paup read from the veterinarian’s report after the incident to refute Gilmore’s claim there had been no bite. She said, though, that she would not object to Lou returning to the community if Townsley and Gilmore meet all requirements of the vicious dog ordinance.
Council member Chad Sloan made a motion to change the dog’s designation from illegal to vicious. Council member Matt Wetrich added that the dog would be allowed to return to the city only after chief of police Mark Clouse verifies all parts of the ordinance have been met, including construction of a kennel to the required specifications.
Council members voted the same as they had in June, with Sloan and Wetrich voting “yes” and Harry Ahrenholtz and Pat Zmolek voting “no.” Jackson voted for the motion, providing the majority needed.
During the open forum, Gary Turner again complained to the council about the property across the street from him. He said there are eight trailers parked on the property, six of them without licenses. One of the two licenses expired in 2018.
City zoning officer Chad Stevens had met with council members earlier as he was out of town that week.
