Dateline: October 20, 2005

Chained dogs draw attention of city board

By Roger  Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise

The Clarendon Board of Aldermen will consider banning chaining up dogs next Tuesday after tabling the issue at the October 11 meeting.

The idea was brought up in a letter to the board from Animal Control Officer Tony Ballard, in which he expressed his concern about dogs being chained up without food or water day in and day out.

“There is no sadder sight that these outcast, forlorn, forgotten animals, relegated to the status of lawn ornaments and virtually ignored by the family,” Ballard wrote.

Ballard further explained that he believes dogs need exercise and love from their guardians daily and that chained dogs tend to become anxious, aggressive, neurotic, territorial, and dangerous. He noted that 17 children have been killed or seriously injured by chained dogs nationwide in the last 12 months.

“Thank God we haven’t had any deaths yet,” Ballard wrote, “but Donley County has had two incidents this month involving two of our children that have been bitten by chained dogs. One was a two-year-old, and she was seriously injured.”

Ballard urged the board to take action and included with his letter sample ordinances from several communities that have either banned or limited keeping dogs on chains.

Alderman Janice Knorpp expressed her concern for the situation and said something needs to be done; but with two aldermen not present last week, the board decided to table this issue until their October 25 meeting.

In other city business, LeAnn Marcum addressed the board concerning the motorcycle games held at City Park following the Heritage Poker Run that was held earlier this month. Marcum said since the city had donated money to the Medical Center Nursing Home to promote the event, she didn’t understand why the city’s name wasn’t on the T-shirts and why the motorcycle games were not advertised.

MCNH administrator in-training Vicky Robertson said she appreciated the city’s donation but said the games were not a part of the poker run and were not sponsored by the nursing home. She said the Clarendon Economic Development Corporation had been recognized as a sponsor of the poker run, but she did not realize that the city and the CEDC were not one and the same.

The city’s donation had come from its Motel Bed Tax Fund.

The city was also not associated with the games, and Mayor Tex Selvidge said he just wanted to be sure the city’s donation had gone for its intended purpose. Robertson said MCNH began advertising the poker run in June, and information about local merchants and local attractions was given out at the poker run.

The board was satisfied that the money went for what it was supposed to. No action was taken.