SB County Considers Amending Dangerous Dog Ordinance

It’s an issue that hits home for dog owners and all dog lovers.

Should “dangerous dogs” in Santa Barbara County be treated differently other than being destroyed which is the current policy?

The issue will be front and center at the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors when it meets on Tuesday in Santa Barbara.

When it comes to man’s best friend, man speaks in their defense.

“There’s a lot of confusion”, says dog owner Dan Ontiveros, “a lot of these poor dogs are misunderstood.”

Santa Barbara County’s off-leash Woof Park at Waller Park near Santa Maria is a favorite for dogs and dog owners.

“When people come here they have presumptions on how all the people and dogs should act”, says dog owner Stephen Ramm, “it doesn’t always work out that way.”

Santa Barbara County Animal Services Department wants to amend the existing Dangerous Dog Ordinance to provide more flexibility and latitude in handling a dog determined to be a “significant public threat” other than putting the dog down.

“The proposal is that there be “potentially dangerous dogs” and “vicious dogs”, says Susan Klein-Rothschild with Santa Barbara County Public Health, “and that information be considered under which category. and the hearing officer would have some flexibility.”

“The issue comes before County Supervisors after several fatal dog maulings in the county this year including attacks on cats in Orcutt involving the same two dogs.

Those two dogs, named Daisy and Duke, remain in isolation at the County Animal Shelter near Santa Maria waiting to be euthanized.

A local judge ruled existing law prevents him from interceding to save the dogs from destruction and that it would be up to the County Board of Supervisors to change the current ordinance.

The controversial issue hits close to home for dog owners

“When you get a dog that you love and its your dog you kind of gloss over whatever things they do wrong”, Stephen Ramm says.

“A lot of people say its all about the way they are raised, certain breeds”, adds Dan Ontiveros, “a lot of the time we don’t have time to find out how well they have been taken care of, some of these dogs get loose and that’s a problem.”

Klein-Rothschild says any decision by the Board of Supervisors to amend the Dangerous Dog Ordinance will apply only to future incidents and not pending cases.

That leaves an uncertain fate for Daisy and Duke being held here at the county shelter.