ABSTRACT
Animal control problems might not be the number one aggravation plaguing every mayor and city manager in America, but they easily make most “top ten” lists. In many cases, problems erupt over matters that seem trivial in relation to much bigger issues confronting the community. A neighbor’s dog barks too much; someone’s roaming cat assaults songbirds at the backyard feeder; wandering dogs—or even dogs being walked by their owners—foul the lawn; a dog “protecting” its owner’s front yard frightens bicyclists and pedestrians; someone’s flower bed was destroyed last night; the garbage was tipped over, again. Monumental crises? In most instances, no; but on some occasions, animal control problems rise beyond the nuisance and aggravation level to pose serious threats to health and safety. Each year more than 4.3 million Americans are the victims of dog bites, with more than 800,000 requiring medical attention. 1 A very high percentage of these are children.
