A proposed city ordinance that would change the law on chaining dogs drew both support and objection at Tuesday's Texarkana, Ark., Board of Directors meeting.
The board conducted a first reading of the ordinance and heard comments from city animal control officers and residents. Second and third readings, as well as additional opportunities for the public to speak, will take place at subsequent meetings before the board votes on the measure.
Prompted by concerned residents who spoke at the board's last meeting, the ordinance states, "No person shall direct-point chain or tether a dog to a stationary object. Dogs may be restrained by means of a trolley system or a tether attached to a pulley on a cable run." It then spells out the required specifications of such systems, including that cable runs must be 10 feet long and 4 to 8 feet above ground level.
Dog owners who do not comply with the law would get a written warning, and if they were still in violation 10 days later, the city could seize their animals.
Animal Control Officer Richard Hinton spoke in favor of the ordinance on behalf of Charles Lokey, director of the Texarkana Animal Care and Adoption Center, who could not attend because of illness. He said that dogs' restraints are often large "log chains" so heavy they cause injury, and that many vicious animal calls officers respond to result from chained dogs' lack of human socialization.
"They're going to get mean," he said, adding that dogs raised for illegal fighting often are kept chained to make them more violent.
Resident Reginald Hicks objected to the change on behalf of his mother, who keeps two Jack Russell terriers tethered in her yard as guard dogs. He argued that requiring every dog owner to build "a roller coaster contraption" would be burdensome and suggested that some residents should be "grandfathered in," not required to follow the new law.
"Before you pass this ordinance thinking about animal rights, think about the rights of the citizens here. All I'm asking is that you use some common sense with this, because you're about to punish citizens that have been complying with the rules," he said.
Ward 2 Director Laney Harris raised questions about animal control officers being able to seize animals without warrants or other court involvement. He suggested that a six-month "education period" before the new law takes effect should be enacted to give residents time to understand and adjust to it.
City Attorney George Matteson replied that the ordinance is almost identical to one adopted without legal challenge in Conway, Ark. Just as when a dog must be rescued from a hot vehicle, officers may seize animals that are being treated cruelly, he said.
The board voted to approve a new data transmission services franchise agreement with Southwest Arkansas Telephone Cooperative Inc., prompted by the company's installation of fiber optic cable to provide broadband internet service to University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana on U of A Way.
The 10-year agreement provides the city a franchise fee of 4.25 percent of the company's gross revenues collected in Texarkana, the maximum allowed by federal law. The agreement also spells out terms of service and rights of way requirements for the company.
The board also approved a franchise agreement with David Peavy, owner of the downtown Ritchie Grocery Building, 215 E. Front St., to use city-owned land adjacent to the building. The agreement allows Peavy to repair city-owned sidewalks east and south of the building and to convert a section of the building's loading dock into an outdoor stage. The agreement states that the city must approve of any plans before construction begins, Public Works Director Jeff Whitten said.
The board's next meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 6.