Unfixed dog fee idea put on hold

Commission wants Animal Services to explore alternatives.

By BILL VARIAN
Published April 5, 2007

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TAMPA - Fido can rest easy, for now.

Hillsborough County commissioners will wait at least two more months before deciding whether to enact new animal control measures, including a proposal to charge pet owners an annual fee for every dog they have that is not fixed.

So-called intact dogs - those who still have their sex organs - have at least one pal in Commissioner Brian Blair. He said the county should crack down on irresponsible animal owners rather than punish dogs.

"I feel very, very bad about the victims, but with most (dog bites), it's the owners' fault," Blair said.

Commissioner Mark Sharpe told Animal Services supervisors to include representatives of kennel groups or others who work with and breed dogs in developing proposals.

Commissioner Kevin White asked Animal Services to draft new measures for dealing with dangerous animals after an attack on a Plant City 2-year-old by a family pet. Animal Services has been developing ideas with the help of a task force and its citizens advisory committee.

Proposals include hiring more workers to visit areas with high numbers of dog bites and increasing fines for people who fail to register their animals.

But proposals to charge an annual fee of as much as $150 for each unfixed dog, and another fee of up to $150 per litter, have angered animal lovers.

County records show that about 75 percent of more than 2,000 reported dog bites annually are by unfixed animals.

The discussion came the same day Angel Perez received an "Awesome Animal Angel Award" for rescuing Dontae Vincent, 9, from a pack of pit bullterriers Jan 23. Both she and Dontae received extensive bites, but are okay now.

In other action, commissioners asked the county's Environmental Protection Commission to craft ways for them to more closely regulate crematories. At least two have opened or sought to open near neighborhoods in the past year.