Mayor encouraging animal care

Sunday, March 29, 2009
By JASON JACOBS, Times Staff Reporter

Brazil Mayor Ann Bradshaw is encouraging all residents to take care of their animals.

"We do not want animals running loose," she said. "We are having issues with residents not taking care of their pets the best they can."

From information she received from a Brazil City Police Department dispatcher, Bradshaw said the department had received three calls about dogs running loose in the city, two calls regarding animal neglect cases and a separate call about an individual dumping three dogs at Craig Park, all within a three-hour time span recently.

"When you have an animal, it is important to maintain the responsibility of having them," she said.

Bradshaw added the city does have an ordinance on the books regarding animal care and control, which lays out potential penalties and fines for neglect, illegal kennels and other violations.

According to section 93.99 of the Brazil ordinance book, there is a civil penalty of $25 the first time an altered animal is caught running at large, and $50 for the second offense, which are bumped up to $40 and $80, respectively if the animal is not altered.

Other potential fines include:

* A $250 fine for the first offense and $500 for the second and all subsequent violations of running a kennel without a license or exceeding the number of animals, altered or otherwise, set forth in section 93.18 of the ordinance, and

* A $500 fine for an owner not removing waste deposited by their animal on public walkways, recreation areas or private property.

"We're not out looking to fine people," Bradshaw said. "I just want residents to be aware of the punishments and penalties that can come from not taking the utmost care of their animal."

The city does employ the services of Clay County Animal Rescue, Inc., Center Point, run by John and Chrystll Owens, for the pick up of stray dogs and in other emergency situations, including those involving a vicious animal.

To contact the Clay County Animal Rescue for the pick up of a stray animal, call 812-835-5000.

"I love animals and I don't want to see them running out in traffic and possibly get hit by a vehicle," Bradshaw said. "It is important to take care of the animals to the best of your ability."

The city's animal ordinance can be viewed on the City of Brazil's web site, www.brazil.in.gov, under the "City Ordinances" header, in Chapter 93.

For questions about the ordinance or other animal matters, call City Hall at 443-2221.

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It is very sad that our own Clay County Humane Society could not do the right thing and sign a very fair contract. It serves as evidence that their board is very self-serving and does not care about the well-being of the animals. I think the mayor should push for a new board and to have the CCHS serve the good citizens of Brazil again.

-- Posted by cubbiefan on Mon, Mar 30, 2009, at 10:09 AM

It's said about the human society but at least there is someone willing to take these animals.

-- Posted by kd323 on Mon, Mar 30, 2009, at 10:54 AM

we need to get them fired that human shelter killed my dog. and we already have a sute on the city of brazil so i would not support that humman shelter its a kill shelter that lady got fired from the clay county one one whitrock road for putting pitbulls to sleep with out autherizasion. and my dog was a pit bull.. so does that say anything to all of you guys.. hope she getts hit when we go to court....

words from krystal anello michelle allsup chris ruff ricky anello breanna allsup kaylee anello asia anello a family who wants justice for there pet

-- Posted by krystalanello on Mon, Mar 30, 2009, at 5:30 PM

Such foul words from a person that could not keep their animals feed and in a safe place.

-- Posted by oknow on Mon, Mar 30, 2009, at 6:48 PM

My dog is an indoor dog, and got loose one day when we were at work. When my husband returned home from work there was a police officer there which stated that our dog was loose and he had been there 3 times in the last few months about other times he was loose, which by the way was a lie, and gave my husband a $50. ticket and it was our first ticket ever, and i believe in the article they said it would be $25. dollars for the first ticket. Another lie. And yes our dog was brought back to our home by us. And has not been loose since. We lock our doors now!! So our busy body nieghbors who we think let him out!! Can't call on us anymore. We love our dog an take very good care of him, and just because someones dog gets loose, doesn't mean there not taking good care of them. It just happens sometimes!!Maybe if it happens over and over again and the dog is the type to hurt someone, but this was not the case. And what about the hundreds of cats running around getting in our trash at night when are they going to something about that and start writing fines out for there owners...

-- Posted by some1ispraying on Mon, Mar 30, 2009, at 10:59 PM

well my dogs are well taken care of the lady said the people nextdoor called for the barking the bark when someone walks by ect... but we got a laywer who said that they didnt fallow the law like the were supposted to. so its thye cities fault not mine... ready the letter in the paper called " who determines who fallows what"

-- Posted by krystalanello on Sat, Apr 4, 2009, at 9:16 AM