Caledonia Argus

Definition of ëdangerousí dogs city council

Posted: 4/20/04

By Jane Palen
Argus Managing Editor

The Caledonia City Council is still grappling with its ordinances defining the difference between a dangerous dog and a potentially dangerous dog.

At its meeting of April 12, the council heard from animal control officer Mike Gavin, who had recommended that a dog, Lexi, owned by Brandon Ranzenberger of Caledonia, be classified as a dangerous dog. At a meeting in March, the council decided to classify Lexi as a ìpotentially dangerousî dog and make several requirements of her owners, including that she be under their control at all times, that she be muzzled when outdoors in her kennel and that the owners post ìdangerous dogî signs at their home on South Winnebago street. The incident which brought the matter to the councilís attention was one in which the dog got loose and chased a woman who had been walking by into the back of a pick-up.

Gavin, who was not informed of the previous meeting, asked the council, ìDo any of you feel that you could be an animal control officer?î When he received no response, he asked, ìThen how can you make a decision without my input?î

Gavin said that the council did not heed his advice on the dog, which was to classify the dog as ìdangerous.î A dangerous dog can be destroyed at the discretion of the animal control officer if he feels it poses a threat.

According to city ordinances, a dangerous animal is defined as one that has caused bodily injury, attacked a person and posed a threat to personal safety, has exhibited unusually aggressive behavior such as an attack on another animal, has bitten one or more people on two or more occasions, and has been found to be potentially dangerous and endangers the safety of humans or domestic animals.

The definition of potentially dangerous animal is one that has bitten a human or domestic animal; has chased a person on public property in an attitude of attack and has engaged in unprovoked attacks causing injury or threatening the safety of humans or domestic animals.

Gavin mentioned another incident in which a smaller dog was injured by Lexi.

ìThat dog was ripped,î said Gavin.

Ranzenberger, Lexiís owner, argued that his dog didnít bite the smaller dog.

ìIf that dog did what she said, it would have had bite marks,î he told the council. The smaller dog had a wound that required stitches to close.

At the time of the incident, Lexi was on a leash but broke way when the smaller dog came out of its yard and began barking.

Nicki Ranzenberger told the council that there have been reports of her dog running loose when it has actually been confined. She said there is another dog in town that looks like Lexi, and people are assuming it is Lexi that is loose.

Council member Randi Vick said she had visited the Ranzenberger residence and found the dog to be well trained. Gavin agreed that the dog is well trained, but said that it should still be classified as a dangerous dog.

Mayor Robert Burns commented that his thoughts on why he was in favor of the ìpotentially dangerousî label was because Lexi has the ability to hurt someone but has not bitten anyone.

ìMy perspective was that if Lexi is not controlled, Mike has the right to put down the dog.î He also apologized for not having Gavin at the earlier meeting, and warned the Ranzenbergers that ìIf it gets loose, the partyís over.î

ìWe understood that from the get-go,î Ranzenberger replied.

Zoning, Heartland

In another matter, the board held a public hearing on a zoning application from Randy Klinski to construct a commercial building in the industrial park for his business, Winona Controls. Because he is also working with the Economic Development authority, the council tabled the request. The matter will first need approval from the EDA. (See related story on this page.)

The council also heard from Mike Fields, a new resident of rural Caledonia, who asked that the city host a town meeting on the proposed Heartland tire burning plant in Preston.

ìIf we would have known we would be downwind from the worldís largest tire burning plant, we would have reconsidered,î Fields told the council. He asked the council to host a meeting prior to the date the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency makes a decision on the plant.

Although the council agreed to host such a meeting, the scheduling has proven difficult. Mayor Burns told The Argus on April 19 that it would not be possible to get the meeting scheduled before the next Heartland court hearing at the end of April.

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