Coweta commissioners Feb. 19 upped the ante on aggressive behavior of animals causing significant injury to other animals by amending the county’s Nuisance Animal Ordinance to define and clarify the nature of the injury and provide for the imposition of monetary and other penalties.

County Administrator Theron Gay said the county already has an ordinance in place that deals with a variety of animal control issues. The amendment to the ordinance addresses animal-on-animal aggression, he said.

County attorney Jerry Ann Conner added that the amendment accounted for aggressive behavior rather than the dangerous behavior to humans already addressed in the ordinance.

Animal Control Manager Bill McKenzie explained the amendment that defines an “aggressive” dog as one that attacks or fights with another animal outside the property of the owner or responsible person and causes severe injury or death to the other animal. The amendment stipulates that a dog defending its owner or itself from attack will not be considered an aggressive dog. The amendment further defines “severe injury” as one that results in death, broken bones or disfiguring lacerations that require multiple sutures.

The amendment calls for cases of aggressive dogs to go before Magistrate Court. If determined to have been aggressive toward other animals, the court can order that the dog be registered at a fee of $500 and that an annual inspection of the premises be conducted to ensure compliance with the court order. The court may also order that the dog be confined to an enclosure on the property with a warning sign posted that indicates the presence of a aggressive dog.

During the discussion, Commissioner Paul Poole questioned and received clarification that the amendment was specific to animal on animal aggression since the ordinance already makes provision for animal-on-human attacks.

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