City of Filer Updates Dog Ordinance
FILER, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) The Filer City Council unanimously passed a new ordinance defining dangerous dogs and laying out punishments for them on Thursday. The special meeting was called in response to recent incidents of dogs killing cats in the city. The city attorney, Tim Stover, said there have been two infractions and they are set to go to trial on Monday. Stover said that Robert Templeman, the city's mayor, asked him to draft the new ordinance quicker than usual to address the issue. The ordinance re-defines a "vicious dog" from a dog that bites a person to a dog that attacks or bites a person or animal when unprovoked, had a prior documented history of doing that, or owned for the purpose of fighting. It makes exceptions for police dogs or a dog who attacks someone as they are trespassing or committing a crime or if it was defending a person. The ordinance also added a code allowing for a city attorney to file a motion requesting the "destruction" of the animal. In that case the animal would remain confined in an animal shelter until a criminal proceeding is finished. The code goes into effect after it is published in the newspaper. The city attorney expected that to happen early next week.