| From
the Police Chief
Cottonwood Police Department has received several complaints regarding citizens and their dogs. The folks who have been calling stated that ‘right now’ they didn’t want to sign complaints against their neighbors, but would like a reminder to their neighbors of what the laws within the City are. In other words, they are trying to give you one last break before a ticket is issued. So, here’s the deal. It is the dog owner’s responsibility to ensure that their dog remains ON their own property. What that means is if someone walks down the sidewalk along your yard, and your dog goes onto the sidewalk, or into the street, your dog, and you, are in violation of City Ordinances. If you are one of the several that seem to be OK with letting your dog out after dark so it can do its business, and the dog leaves your yard, you and your dog are in violation of City Ordinance. If the dog does its business on someone else’s yard, again, the dog and you are in violation. That has been a large complaint from non-dog owners, having to scoop poop from their own yards when they don’t even have an animal. I can understand this frustration as I am sure you could as well. The City requires that if your dog is off your property it must be on a secure leash, at all times. Your dog must also have a secure collar with the City License attached at all times. If your dog doesn’t like collars, I can get you in touch with trainers who can help you with the animal and get them used to it. If your dog is one of the ones that decides to bark with other dogs throughout the night, and folks complain; you guessed it, he and you could be in violation. And finally, if you dog is one of the kind that seems to be ‘full of it’ all the time and it isn’t cleaned up, and begins to have that certain aroma, again more violations. A dog citation for any of the above is $63.00, for each. If the animal is picked up while it is off your property it is $10 plus $5 a day for the impound, plus the citation for it being at large. If he or she isn’t licensed, that could be a second violation, and without a collar could be a third. So, let me ask you, is it really worth $204.00 to let your dog, who may not have been licensed or might not have a collar on, out to do his business late at night or early in the morning just because that is easier than attaching a collar and walking with them? Cottonwood City Codes require that every dog within the City be licensed every year, even inside dogs, and City Hall has this year’s licenses available at this time, please get one. Compassion for your neighbors is what it all comes down to; and compassion for pets. Take care of each of these and we won’t need to be meeting. |
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