Ordinance to target dog breeds

LOS ANGELES - Once again a pit bull attack made headlines when such a dog turned on a baby girl Monday. Los Angeles County 5th District Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich reacted quickly to the incident by submitting a motion Wednesday to enact a county ordinance that would limit the breeding of vicious dog types.

The proposed ordinance also mandates spaying or neutering of vicious animals, said Tony Bell, the supervisor's communications deputy.

"We don't have all the language yet," Bell said, adding that the county Department of Animal Care and Control will work with the county attorney to draft the ordinance.

"It will be in the spirit of the state law signed by the governor in October," Bell noted.

He was referring to Senate Bill 861, introduced by state Sen. Jackie Speier, D-San Francisco/San Mateo, which enables counties and cities to regulate specific breeds of dogs with a propensity for violence.

The ordinance specifically targets pit bulls and Rottweilers.

The proposed ordinance also mandates spaying or neutering of vicious animals, said Tony Bell, the supervisor's communications deputy.

"We don't have all the language yet," Bell said, adding that the county Department of Animal Care and Control will work with the county attorney to draft the ordinance.

"It will be in the spirit of the state law signed by the governor in October," Bell noted.

Bell said the Board of Supervisors "will approve" the motion at their Tuesday, Jan. 31, meeting, and "the language will come back for the board's final approval on Feb. 14."

"It does give the county the authority to address this issue head-on by encouraging responsible ownership and prosecuting those who violate the law and fail to take proper steps to protect the public — particularly in the Antelope Valley, where we've seen a considerable upturn in the number of dog attacks," Bell said.

In the most recent attack, a 5-year-old male pit bull terrier seriously injured an 11-month-old girl Monday in the 2900 block of East Avenue R-13.

The infant, whose identity was not released, was airlifted to UCLA Medical Center with extensive facial injuries.

Sgt. Dave Miklos of the Palmdale Sheriff's Station said the dog detached the baby's ear, which was found and sent to the hospital. Doctors were unable to reattach the ear, however.

The dog was taken to the Lancaster Animal Shelter and euthanized, Miklos added.

Animal Control officers are considering whether the dog's owner should face charges.

The attack followed one a week earlier near 20th Street West and Avenue H-8 in Lancaster, when two 90-pound pit bulls mauled to death a small dog, possibly a Jack Russell terrier.

Sheriff's Department deputies shot the dogs to death at the scene after the animals charged them.

In 2004, six pit bull attacks were reported in the Antelope Valley.

By midyear 2005, the number increased to 22, and stayed on the rise until year's end. Three weeks into the new year, the attacks continue.

Because of the number of attacks in the Antelope Valley and scattered attacks throughout the county, Antonovich introduced a public education and awareness program in August that was subsequently implemented by Animal Control.

"We believe the public safety crisis must be addressed," Bell said, "and the ordinance will prevent further tragedies like the one we saw with the baby girl in Palmdale this week."

asemchuck@avpress.com

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