Yellowstone County Animal Control Ordinances UNFORCED

Yellowstone County Animal Control Ordinance haven't been up date since 1993. No one seems to have read them, anyway! Except us dog bite victims. It's just amazing how dogs roam the unincorporated city of dogbitemontana even though you catch the wandering dog on video clearly not in control of anyone let alone the owner. This is my story of how nothing was done.

February 4th: While returning home I saw a brown and white Australian shepherd mix barking and jumping on the fence where my chickens are kept. Since I don't carry a shot gun with me, I threw rocks at this dog and chased him away from my chickens. I ran inside and got my video camera. I filmed this dog while I called the Sheriff's Dept. to make a report. I assumed the Animal Control would be calling me back.


Four days later On Feb. 8th, I called the Sheriff's Dept. to cancel the call as It looked like I would not be contacted anyway. The Sheriff's Dept. said they would contact animal Control and let them know i had not been contacted.

The next day on Feb. 9th Animal control called me back and said they could not find a dog matching the description I gave running loose.

Then in the next 2 days I was bitten by 2 different dogs.

A Pitt bull bit me on my own property I was walking past my chicken pen and didn't see the dog until it had knocked down my 3 year old daughter and bite me in the leg. I ran inside grabbed my camera and filmed the dog while it ran around the neighborhood for half an hour before the Animal Control could get there. The ACO took the dog into town for quarantine although it did have a current rabies vaccination.

The next day on my way into town I recognized a dog in the back of a flat bed pickup as the brown and white Australian Shepherd mix that had been harassing my chickens on Feb. 4th. I followed this vehicle back to the owner's property to confront him about his dog harassing my chickens. I had lost 4 good laying hens from this attack. While I was there talking with the owner about the attack of his dog this dog, jumped up and bit my left hand leaving two deep puncture wounds and a tear down my ring finger. Now, despite all this the dog was quarantined with the owner for 10 days, even though the Ordinance says 14 days! I have pictures of the scratches on my car door and my hand to prove all this.

County Ordinance C04380-180. Vicious Dogs. Reads:
Anyone who harbors or allows to stay about the premises occupied or controlled by him within the county a vicious or potentially vicious dog is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be fined an amount not to exceed $500. dollars.

#B of this Ordinance reads:
For the purpose of this ordinance a Potential vicious dog is defined as a dog which when unprovoked:

1. Chases or approaches a person in a menacing fashion; or exhibiting an apparent attitude of attack; or

2. Makes unwelcome physical contact with a person, or

3. Bite or causes substantial injury to a person while on the owner's property.

DEFINITIONS

SUBSTANTIAL INJURY: Is defined as a puncture or laceration or break of a person's skin caused by a dog's teeth; or any other physical injury to a person caused by a dog which results in a degree of trauma that would cause a reasonable and prudent person to seek medical care, regardless of concerns about rabies prevention.

UNPROVOKED: Is defined as a circumstance in which a person is injured by a dog which he did not hit, kick, strike, pull, pinch, squeeze, or taunt.

These ordinances were not followed by ACO. The owner said I put my arm out the window and called his dog! I did not. And when I picked up the reports of these dog bites it said that I made a comment that It was my fault! I think not! the facts are that the owner of this dog lied! There was not even a ticket issued for the dog running at large which I have a video of!!

Hows that for following the Law! No ticket was written to even go to court to see if this dog was a vicious or potentially vicious dog!

It doesn't matter how they change the ordinances, if ACO is not going to follow them they will do absolutely no good and it's time for a replacement!