Carroll commissioners will revisit a dog-chaining ordinance today because they didn?t realize the law included a time-specific clause when they adopted it last week.
“We thought it better to change it sooner rather than six months from now,” Commissioner Julia Gouge said. “The citizens need to be sure of what [the law is]. We simply need to correct it.”
The wrong version of the code amendment ? which prohibits owners from tethering their pets outside for more than 12 hours a day ? passed Tuesday with an additional clause that also bans outdoor dog-chaining from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m., she said.
The mistake occurred when the wrong version was printed and Commissioner Dean Minnich asked Nicky Ratliff, county humane society director, to read an abbreviated version aloud before the amendment?s unanimous adoption, said Gouge.
“We should have gone through it with more detail,” Gouge said. “If we would have gone through the entire law, [the overnight clause] would have come out and we would have all been on the same page.”
Set hours for dog-chaining don?t consider residents? varying work schedules and prevents farmers from tying up their dogs to keep them from chasing deer, raccoons and other nocturnal animals, said Gouge.
She said at least one farmer called to complain about the overnight stipulation.
Eliminating the overnight clause will make it harder for residents to call the humane society to complain about neighbors? dogs barking late at night, said Ratliff.
“But [charges againstowners who keep their canines perpetually tethered] will still be enforceable,” she said.
Violators face up to a $500 fine, according to the code amendment.
