A Kern County supervisor is asking staff to review county policies regarding dog bite incidents stating that he feared that the county's policies were not strong enough, The Bakersfield Californian reports. Kern County Third District Supervisor Mike Maggard referenced several articles that ran recently in the local newspaper detailing vicious dog attacks. Right now, based on Bakersfield city and Kern county ordinances, animal control officials have little recourse but to return aggressive dogs to their owners. The rules require that an earlier or prior attack or two before stronger action can be taken against the dog or its owner. Maggard apparently expressed concern that his constituents are unprotected when it comes to vicious dog attacks.
Vicious Dogs are a Public Safety Threat
I agree with this county official. He is absolutely correct in his fear that his county's residents are in danger of being attacked of vicious dogs because of weak dog bite laws. The fact that the county requires one or more prior dog attacks before any action can be taken tells me that the ordinances are extremely outdated. The goal of any government should be to protect its community from danger.
Recent news stories show that dangerous and vicious dogs are very real threats to their communities. Negligent dog owners are also increasingly becoming a problem. A number of cities, including several in Orange County, have started pressing criminal charges against dog owners whose negligence results in serious personal injury or death to the victims. There is no question that dog owners should be held responsible for their pets' actions and also held accountable for negligence that results in a serious dog attack.
Updating Dangerous Dog Laws
A number of cities are also requiring dog owners to carry liability insurance, which in my opinion, is extremely important because of the medical expenses associated with a dog bite. Dog bite victims often have to undergo cosmetic surgery to fix the deep scars or undergo psychological counseling to get over their emotional trauma. Many cities in California are still lagging behind with dangerous dog ordinances and it's about time that these laws are updated in order to protect residents of every city and community.
SLS Consulting