Politics & Government

County Passes New Vicious Dog Ordinance

The ordinance, which passed on Tuesday, would give animal control officers authority to declare a dog vicious in an administrative hearing, rather than forcing the issue to go before a court.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors passed an ordinance this week which will give more power to animal control officers to declare a dog vicious, which potentially can lead to the animal being euthanized.

The ordinance gives the authority to make the declaration to a hearing officer in an administrative setting, whereas previously it required a court hearing.

According to the ordinance, the consequences for having a potentially dangerous or vicious dog include the possibility of being ordered to build an enclosure for the dog, mandatory dog training, and possibly the removal of the dog from the person's home.

Find out what's happening in Altadenawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

It can also mean that the officer can rule that the dog needs to be euthanized, according to the ordinance.

Failure to comply with those rules can result in a fine or even a short jail sentence.

Find out what's happening in Altadenawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The ordinance also expands some of the criteria for declaring a dog vicious, including if the dog's actions result in "serious physical illness."  Previous language specified that "fractures or lacerations" result from a dog attack.

Finally, the ordinance also allows hearing officers to consider a dog's actions in other jurisdictions beyond Los Angeles County in deciding whether it is vicious.

A note from the county counsel in the ordinance suggests that the new hearing system will be a more "cost effective" option for the county.

But not everyone is pleased about it: an animal rights advocate told the Los Angeles Times that the law could lead to "arbitrary" decisions and the death of "innocent" dogs.

As Altadena is part of the county animal control system the ordinance will apply to local animals.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here