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BAD DOGS: Review panel judges if dogs are a danger
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If you listen to Jerry Guidish, his 2-year-old German Shepherd Duke is the friendliest dog around.
Tell that to his neighbor, Jill Erickson.
On a recent Tuesday afternoon, in a second-floor room in the Health and Public Services Building in the Collier County Government Center, the Dangerous Dog Review Panel heard the case of Duke, accused of biting Erickson, unprovoked.
Dangerous Dog Review Panel meetings are held in Collier County any time the owners of a dog contest the labeling of their pooch as “dangerous” by Collier County Domestic Animal Services.
Once a dog is declared dangerous, the owners must keep it in a six-sided enclosure; post signs at all entry ways stating the presence of a dangerous dog; install permanent identification on the dog, such as a tattoo or microchip; and pay $300 a year for a certificate or registration.
The three-person review panel is made up of a representative from the Humane Society Naples and two public service division employees.
Peter Kraley hates this part of his job.
Technically, as the veteran services director for Collier County government, chairing the panel is not part of his job description. But as an employee of Collier County Public Services Division, Kraley is occasionally asked to hear cases as part of the informal doggy court, if you will.
“These hearings are not fun,” Kraley said at the conclusion of the Tuesday afternoon session. “I find them to be difficult, emotionally draining. I don’t like doing them at all.”
Bonnie Kubicsek, lead investigator for Domestic Animal Services, tells the panel that Duke and another dog have a history of getting out, chasing neighbors and threatening people. In January, Duke bit Erickson, she said.
On the other hand, Duke’s owners, Jerry and Ann Guidish, say Duke is as friendly as can be and say that another, similar-looking dog in the neighborhood could be responsible for the bite.
“I can’t have a dog that viciously attacks people,” Jerry Guidish told the panel.
At the end of the hearing, the panel discussed the case and ultimately upheld the “dangerous” classification for Duke.
“We don’t like doing it because dogs are part of the family,” Kraley said.
If the owners are still not happy with the decision, they can appeal in county court.
To be labeled dangerous, a dog need not have actually bitten someone, according to a Collier County ordinance. Killing another domesticated animal while off the owner’s property, being used in dog fighting, and chasing people in a menacing fashion can also get a dog deemed dangerous.
Kubicsek said she has declared 16 dogs dangerous since March 2007.
“He may be rehabilitatable, but he’s always going to have the label,” Michael Simonik, executive director of the Humane Society, said of the dogs declared dangerous.
Though not a rubber-stamp panel, Kraley said the panel usually sides with DAS.
“You don’t want to come in after someone has been very seriously injured,” he said, “because then it is too late.”
Comments
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Since government refuses to do it's job of safeguarding people pets and property it is past time that a referendum be undertaken to outlaw pit bulls in Florida and require jail time for their owners.
#1 Posted by greathornedlizard on March 29, 2008 at 8:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Blaming everything on pit bulls (which weren't even mentioned in the above article) is misinformed and irresponsible.
GHL, educate yourself before you try to incorrectly educate others.
#2 Posted by beachykeen on March 29, 2008 at 9:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Dangerous dogs get loose, even with responsible owners. That is why they've got to go. Don't blame the owners for being irresponsible, blame them for owning these dangerous dogs. I am now lucky enough to have a pit bull recently move into my neighborhood. The owner has children, so I know it's only a matter of time that I'll be seeing that dog in my yard. There goes the neighborhood. :(
#3 Posted by 33yearresident on March 29, 2008 at 9:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Get a life Greathornylizzard. To sterotype one breed of any animal is as unacceptable as racial profiling. Everyone and everything is different and must be judged accordingly.
Go play with your global warming buddies and quit trying to do in "Man's Best Friend." You should get a real dog and learn what unconditional love is all about.
#4 Posted by toldtwice on March 30, 2008 at 8:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
That's great, I'm being lectured by a sociopath pit bull owner about unconditional love!
Get a mirror, ToldTwice!
#5 Posted by greathornedlizard on March 30, 2008 at 9:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The pet found to be dangerous in this instance is a pure bred sheperd. When dogs are allowed to roam free, thier territory may well encompass a much larger area than their "yard". It may well include your neighbors yard or the block you live on. It is not a question of breed, it is a question of owner resposibility.
#6 Posted by pequee on March 30, 2008 at 10:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I think we need to take a closer look at the people who own pet bulls you rarely see a nice middle aged couple walking there bit bull. but i've seen the ones who have rotten teeth and tattoos talking about how there pit bulls can kill anything. And you people know exactly what I mean so don't play stupid. there are people who raise them right and even have them in dog shows but they are a vast minority. most drug dealers have mean pit bulls also. If your walking down the street with a gun in your hand and you see a Lab on one side and a pit bull on the other which one would you draw down on and get ready to shoot?? thats right folks pit bulls are vicious animals and when trained incorrectly you have problems. So pull the trigger
#7 Posted by sunburnt on March 30, 2008 at 10:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If you ban pit bulls, morons will just find one from another breed and train it to be mean.
#8 Posted by Bramble on March 30, 2008 at 11:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
sunburnt, you should have seen the hundreds of people who came with their pit bulls to Cambier Park last December. There was not one growl out of any of the dogs (or their owners!) and you could indeed see old couples with their pits. There were also young families, single women, and just about every demographic under the sun.
People who post the things that you and GHL post have absolutely no idea. It's a pity that you can spew such nonsense.
Bramble's post is right on: it used to be dobermans, then rotties and now pits. Soon it will be another breed that is the target of BSL and uninformed sheep.
#9 Posted by beachykeen on March 30, 2008 at 1:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
to all that dislike pit bulls
(or other so called mean dogs)
MAY ONE BITE YOUR ASS HARD
#10 Posted by houdal33 on March 30, 2008 at 3:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
houdal33
I suspect you have already had your sick wish and most of us have been bitten or had pets slaugtered or neighbors or relatives bitten or had their pets murdered by pit bulls and their psycopathic owners.
No doubt you don't answer your door, trying to avoid the process server sent by people whom have been victimized by your own animals.
#11 Posted by greathornedlizard on March 31, 2008 at 7:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
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