Public Hearing - Dogs Roaming at Large

Posted on: Nov 20th, 2018 | News and Announcements

Public Hearing Regarding Dogs Roaming at Large in County Areas

The Mobile County Commission will hold a public hearing to consider the adoption of a state statute prohibiting dogs from roaming at large in the unincorporated areas of the county. Approval of the statute would allow Animal Control officers to ticket dog owners rather than automatically taking dogs to the Mobile County Animal Shelter, saving an estimated $57,000 to $74,000 annually and increasing the productivity of Animal Control officers.

The Mobile County Animal Control Department is asking the Commission to consider adopting the statute due to the increasing number of complaints received about dogs roaming at large. The department received 2,768 complaints last year stemming from owned dogs.

The hearing will be held Mon., Nov. 26 at 10 a.m. in the Auditorium of Government Plaza, 205 Government St., Mobile, during a regular session of the County Commission. Those wishing to voice their opinion for or against the adoption of this state statute are encouraged to attend this public hearing.

The enabling state statute under consideration is the Code of Alabama 1975 Title 3 Animals Section 3-1-5 Permitting Dogs to Run at Large. This law states that "Every person owning or having in charge any dog or dogs shall at all times confine such dog or dogs to the limits of his own premises or the premises on which such dog or dogs is or are regularly kept. Nothing in this section shall prevent the owner of any dog or dogs or other person or persons having such dog or dogs in his or their charge from allowing such dog or dogs to accompany such owner or other person or persons elsewhere than on the premises on which such dog or dogs is or are regularly kept. Any person violating this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be fined not less than $2.00 nor more than $50.00." The statute can be viewed at the following link: http://alisondb.legislature.state.al.us/alison/CodeOfAlabama/1975/Coatoc.htm Click on Title 3 Animals; click on Chapter 1; then click on Section 3-1-5.