A dog fight [The Wilson Daily Times, N.C.]

Jan. 07--Local animal rights advocate, Max Fitz-Gerald, said he's concerned that he has not gotten a response at all from Wilson County commissioners for well over a month now after making proposals in November on what to do about pressing animal issues.

Fitz-Gerald said the dog and cat population continues to spiral out of control here, some residents still raise pit bull dogs for fighting, and pet owners ride dogs untethered in their truck beds, risking animal and human life.

Fitz-Gerald asked commissioners to vote for stiff fines for pet owners whose dogs and cats are not spayed and neutered and for those who travel with their pet in the bed of pick-up trucks untethered. He also proposed a limit of two pit bull dogs any owner may have along with large fees if those pit bulls are not spayed or neutered.

Wilson County Commissioner Roger Lucas heads the animal committee for the county.

Lucas said there just hasn't been enough time for commissioners to make a decision on Fitz-Gerald's proposals with the holiday season just ending.

"I was told by the county manager that each commissioner has a copy of the proposal from Max," Roger Lucas said. "I don't have a committee meeting scheduled yet. I thought they should each read it and chew on it a little. I intend to ask them what their opinions are and then we'll go from there. If it is the consensus it should go to committee. Either way it will be addressed."

Lucas said Fitz-Gerald is passionate and he admires that quality.

STIFF FINES

Fitz-Gerald, co-owner of For The Love of Dogs, a local no-kill animal shelter and dog rescue organization, said his reasons for wanting to have stiffer penalties is because he sees so much abuse and animal abandonment in Wilson County.

"We just went and rescued six pit bull puppies from the shelter this week and have them in foster homes now," said Fitz-Gerald. "Last year we sent over 4,000 dogs to other states. I've got 180 dogs on the premises, 35 to 40 are in foster homes. It never ends. The only way to stop it is to do what they do up north -- and that is to pass and enforce stringent spay/neuter laws."

According to the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals, one unaltered female dog and her offspring can produce 67,000 puppies in six years. In seven years, one female cat and her offspring can produce 370,000 kittens.

Fitz-Gerald said the cost to taxpayers dealing with strays is much more costly than having an animal altered. Fitz-Gerald told commissioners there should be a higher fee for anyone who chooses not to spay or neuter their pet.

"Raise the fee to $75 to $100 if the dog and cat is not spayed and neutered," Fitz-Gerald repeated this week in an interview with The Wilson Times. "If a person just doesn't want their pet fixed, alright. It will no longer cost $10. It will be a lot more. They will have to be responsible for that cat or dog."

Fitz-Gerald said pet owners should also be made aware of the benefits of altering their dogs and cats. He noted they live longer and don't get certain cancers and other diseases. He said many animals that are not fixed tend to wander off and many are injured or killed by cars. He said dogs and cats are less likely to get into fights with other animals when they have been spayed or neutered.

Some counties already have ordinances in place that allow fines for unaltered pets.

UNTETHERED DOGS

Fitz-Gerald said riding with a dog in the bed of a truck is unsafe for the dog.

"I am not opposed to a dog riding in the back, but just tether the dog so that everybody is safe," Fitz-Gerald said.

In addition to the dog falling out of the back of the truck, Fitz-Gerald said, any vehicles following will swerve to avoid hitting the dog, which is unsafe for people as well.

He said near his own home he has picked up too many dogs that have been victims of being thrown from the bed of a truck and hit by another vehicle.

"Protect the dog and public," Fitz-Gerald said. "We should have an ordinance to cover that. When a person is in violation, there should be a fine for it. We should protect everybody."

PIT BULLS

Fitz-Gerald said there should be a limit to how many pit bull dogs any family can have.

"The objective is to try to get a reduction in pit bull fighting," Fitz-Gerald said. "If you have 10 and 12 Pit bulls, it can't be good. People are raising them to fight. It is a heinous and barbaric crime."

Fitz-Gerald said if anyone wants to have more than the two, they should have to get permission from the sheriff.

"I want the sheriff to know who has pit bulls and keep an eye on who has fighting," Fitz-Gerald. "If you don't want the sheriff to know that you have more than two pit bulls, then that says something about your intentions, I think. And we want to go further. You have a right to raise puppies. But if you choose to raise puppies, then pay $1,000 per dog per year to leave them unaltered to reproduce."

OTHER COUNTIES

Counties all over the state have tried to come up with solutions to over-population of animals and putting an end to dog fighting.

As recently as last month, Cumberland County residents stopped their county's animal control attempt to pass an ordinance to ban all dogs considered to be bully breeds; Rottweilers, Doberman, Great Danes, Mastiffs, Atkitas, Huskies, Chow Chows and pit bulls. The suggestion was to kill all "bully breed" dogs that came into the shelter after holding them for 72 hours without giving them a chance to be adopted. If an owner brought in a "bully breed" dog, shelter workers were to kill that dog immediately.

But in three days a petition with more than 60,000 signatures defeated the ordinance.

RIGHTS OF CITIZENS

Passing a law charging extra fees for unaltered pit bulls could cause Wilson County Commissioners legal headaches, according to Travis Payne, a civil rights attorney.

"You can't over-generalize because of the behavior of some," Payne explained. "There will always be the owner that will show their unaltered dog is sweet and not bred for fighting."

Payne said in that case the owner of the dog could use a constitutional argument and get an injunction, which would halt enforcing any potential law.

"I am sure many people will say whether or not it is true, that their dogs have never attacked anyone and are not aggressive," Payne said. "The county may do better charging the $1,000 fine if the dogs or their owners have been problems in the past. Let's say the dog has bitten someone or the owner's found guilty of illegal breeding or fighting dogs."

Payne said counties around the state have had a hard time passing ordinances singling out breeds for any reason.

Other states have some examples of restricting certain breeds. Miami and Denver are examples of municipalities that restrict Pit bulls.

"It is illegal in Miami-Dade County to own or keep American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, or any other dog that substantially conforms to any of these breeds' characteristics," according to local law there.

There is a $500 fine there and court action can follow. Denver's ban has been challenged in court in the past, but it goes further than what Fitz-Gerald is proposing.

Other cities that have banned pit bulls in the U.S. are Topeka, Kansas, Yonkers, N.Y., Garfield Heights, Ohio and Sparta, Tenn.

In addition, some homeowners insurance won't allow residents to own certain breeds of dogs such as pit bulls.

Payne does believe an ordinance that will fine drivers that don't tether their dogs could stand up in court.

"In that case you're talking about preventing a dog from jumping from a vehicle and getting injured," Payne said. "Commissioners always have to be careful. If they make the public angry, they won't be re-elected. Any decision they make can put them in the hot seat."

Commissioners have to face voters on both sides of any issue, making any particular decision tricky.

Payne added if fees are set too high commissioners could face a backlash from voters and a number of animal owners.

FIGHTING ON

Fitz-Gerald, who added he was opposed to what Cumberland County was trying to enact, said he is prepared to come to every meeting until he gets some answers.

"I'm coming back in front of county commissioners again Monday," Fitz-Gerald said. "I'm going every month until we all drop dead."

Fitz-Gerald said county commissioners have become too partisan. He said that he along with other animal advocates who agree with him are prepared to have a new slate of candidates if commissioners won't vote for what he believes is the will of the people.

"They vote by party not by what is best for the citizens of the county," Fitz-Gerald said. "We have to be strong to move this county forward in a positive way. Not just for animals, but for people, too."

[email protected] -- 265-7847

___

(c)2012 The Wilson Daily Times (Wilson, N.C.)</p>

Visit The Wilson Daily Times (Wilson, N.C.) at www.wilsontimes.com

Distributed by MCT Information Services