The county of Los Angeles will expand the definition of “dangerous dog” by including attacks on livestock, if the supervisors approve a proposal Tuesday from Marcia Mayeda, director of the Department of Animal Care and Control.
“(A)n attempted attack or an attack on livestock … is often a precursor to subsequent attacks on pets, livestock and people,” Mayeda said in a report to the board. “By including livestock in the definition of a potentially dangerous dog, (Animal Control) will be able to seek restrictions against owners of dogs that attack animals such as horses, sheep and goats.”
Alpacas will be newly defined as livestock, as well, under Mayeda’s proposed ordinance.
“By restricting he (private ownership of) dogs that harm livestock, future attacks can be averted,” Mayeda said.
Her plan would make the following code changes:
- Amend Los Angeles County Code §10.08.170 to include the alpaca as a species of animals considered as livestock under the Code and to clarify that poultry are considered to be domestic fowl under the Code.
- Amend Los Angeles County Code §10.12.090 to clarify that the County is authorized to capture animals under the listed circumstances.
- Amend Los Angeles County Code §10.37.020 to expand the definition of potentially dangerous dog to include attempts to attack and attacks on livestock.
- Amend Los Angeles County Code §10.37.030 to expand the definition of vicious dog to include dogs that have been maintained in violation of an administrative decision or court order.
- Amend Los Angeles County Code §10.37.100 to clarify the language relating to probable cause.
- Amend Los Angeles County Code §10.37.110 to clarify provisions relating to the service of the petition.
- Amend Los Angeles County Code §10.37.120 to increase the time period in which the petitioner (the County) or the owner or custodian of the dog may contest the determination of the judicial officer from five to fourteen days.
- Amend Los Angeles County Code §10.37.121 to clarify the language relating to the service of notice of an administrative decision on the department and the owner or custodian and to increase the time in which a contesting party must notify the other party to request judicial review of the administrative decision from five to fourteen days
- Amend Los Angeles County Code §10.37.130 to specify requirements of the owner or custodian, clarify conditions applied to a dog determined to be potentially dangerous, and requirements of the owner or custodian if the dog is subsequently transferred.
- Amend Los Angeles County Code §10.37.140 to specify requirements of the owner or custodian and clarify conditions applied to a dog determined to be vicious.
- Amend Los Angeles County Code §10.37.150 to add “potentially” before the word dangerous.
- Amend Los Angeles County Code §10.37.170 to include livestock.
- Amend Los Angeles County Code §10.37.180 to include livestock.
County to Expand Definition of 'Dangerous Dog'
