Henderson Tightening Leash Laws
Cindy Mallette is a reporter for the Tyler Paper.
Henderson County may get a new animal control ordinance if commissioners vote to approve the version they've been circulating throughout the county for the past two weeks.
The ordinance is nine pages long; seven more than the original document county commissioners say was peppered with "legalese."
It lists in fairly simple terms how pet owners must care for and protect their animals (updated shots, food, clean water, shelter). It also says owners must restrain their dogs at all times, and defines "restrain" to mean the dog stays on its owner's property, it's on a leash, it's under the verbal or visual command of the owner or it remains securely inside the owner's vehicle.
People who own dangerous or vic-ious pets are required to take further steps to rest-rain their animals, based on requirements the state of Texas already has in place.
Those who violate the ordinance are subject to a fine, or worse. The county will comply with state regulations, and the new "Lillian Bill" (now awaiting Gov. Rick Perry's signature) may mean jail time for dog owners who have pets that bite.
Under the new ordinance, the county's two part-time Animal Control officers would have more authority to identify violations, issue citations and impound stray or dangerous animals.
The commissioners court would also enter into a contract with the county's two humane societies to pay for any fees associated with treating, housing or putting to sleep impounded animals.
At a town hall meeting in Chandler on June 7, Henderson County Judge David Holstein asked the sizeable gathering if they would show, by applause, how many support the proposed ordinance. Every hand in the building clapped.
Henderson County commissioners are expected to adopt the ordinance by the end of the month, following the last of six town hall meetings, which will take place June 19 at the Henderson County Senior Citizen's Center.
Orville Bevel thinks the Smith County commissioners could learn a thing or two from Henderson County. Bevel is the Animal Control Committee chairman, and he helped develop the proposed ordinance. He also took part in drafting Smith County's animal control ordinance in 2001.
"That ordinance we used as a template, but we expanded on it," he said.
Bevel believes the Henderson County animal control ordinance would solve a lot of the problems Smith County now faces. The proposed ordinance would apply to unincorporated areas within the county - meaning any neighborhood or area that's not within city limits. It's also designed to allow pet owners to exercise personal responsibility.
"We don't want this to be a police state," he said.
What Bevel does want is for pet owners to treat their animals humanely and to take precautions that would protect their families and neighbors.
"The whole idea of this is for people to accept more responsibility," he said.
Bevel doesn't want community members to take the ordinance to an extreme and start reporting every possible infraction a neighbor makes. For example, say a friendly neighborhood dog gets out of the yard while his owner is away. All of the children know the dog and play with him. The dog doesn't pose a serious threat, although he can be annoying when he uses your yard for a toilet.
"This is not a leash law," Bevel said. "The first thing we want you to do is speak to the owner."
After all, Animal Control Officers are not dog catchers.
"Forget the idea that everything running down the street, they're going to pick up."
The ordinance is nine pages long; seven more than the original document county commissioners say was peppered with "legalese."
It lists in fairly simple terms how pet owners must care for and protect their animals (updated shots, food, clean water, shelter). It also says owners must restrain their dogs at all times, and defines "restrain" to mean the dog stays on its owner's property, it's on a leash, it's under the verbal or visual command of the owner or it remains securely inside the owner's vehicle.
People who own dangerous or vic-ious pets are required to take further steps to rest-rain their animals, based on requirements the state of Texas already has in place.
Those who violate the ordinance are subject to a fine, or worse. The county will comply with state regulations, and the new "Lillian Bill" (now awaiting Gov. Rick Perry's signature) may mean jail time for dog owners who have pets that bite.
Under the new ordinance, the county's two part-time Animal Control officers would have more authority to identify violations, issue citations and impound stray or dangerous animals.
The commissioners court would also enter into a contract with the county's two humane societies to pay for any fees associated with treating, housing or putting to sleep impounded animals.
At a town hall meeting in Chandler on June 7, Henderson County Judge David Holstein asked the sizeable gathering if they would show, by applause, how many support the proposed ordinance. Every hand in the building clapped.
Henderson County commissioners are expected to adopt the ordinance by the end of the month, following the last of six town hall meetings, which will take place June 19 at the Henderson County Senior Citizen's Center.
Orville Bevel thinks the Smith County commissioners could learn a thing or two from Henderson County. Bevel is the Animal Control Committee chairman, and he helped develop the proposed ordinance. He also took part in drafting Smith County's animal control ordinance in 2001.
"That ordinance we used as a template, but we expanded on it," he said.
Bevel believes the Henderson County animal control ordinance would solve a lot of the problems Smith County now faces. The proposed ordinance would apply to unincorporated areas within the county - meaning any neighborhood or area that's not within city limits. It's also designed to allow pet owners to exercise personal responsibility.
"We don't want this to be a police state," he said.
What Bevel does want is for pet owners to treat their animals humanely and to take precautions that would protect their families and neighbors.
"The whole idea of this is for people to accept more responsibility," he said.
Bevel doesn't want community members to take the ordinance to an extreme and start reporting every possible infraction a neighbor makes. For example, say a friendly neighborhood dog gets out of the yard while his owner is away. All of the children know the dog and play with him. The dog doesn't pose a serious threat, although he can be annoying when he uses your yard for a toilet.
"This is not a leash law," Bevel said. "The first thing we want you to do is speak to the owner."
After all, Animal Control Officers are not dog catchers.
"Forget the idea that everything running down the street, they're going to pick up."
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