Council suggests change to dog ordinance amendments

Meeting Monday night, Mayor Mike Schmitt and the Elgin City Council got their first glimpse at possible changes to the city’s dog ordinance.
The focus of their meetings for much of the summer, amendments were prepared by City Attorney Luke Henderson.
The amendments were not acted on as council members wanted to see small modifications made. Henderson said they would be completed later this week and could be acted on at a special meeting or the next regular meeting scheduled for Monday night, Nov. 1 at 7::30 p.m.
One suggested change was to remove a specific age (19 years or older) and use the words “suitable age” for handling dogs both on premises and off premises (on a leash). This applies to Section 3-216 of the ordinance.
Other amendments to the ordinance are an increase in the cost of fines; and suitable fencing (no underground fences) for dog enclosures. The ordinance also defines “dangerous” and “potentially dangerous” dogs.
A shift in the dog ordinance is being made, moving away from naming specific dog breeds as dangerous.