Village Voice: Council responds to recent dog issues

All across the nation, villages and cities are dealing with the issue of domestic dogs escaping the control of their owners. Some areas, including Ada, have seen incidents of dogs attacking other dogs and people when out of the control of owners.

After much discussion and feedback from the public, advocacy groups and the Hardin County Dog Warden in 2016, Council revised Ada’s local ordinance to address some concerns.

Often called the dog ordinance, the revised ordinance allows for stiffer actions should an owner lose control of his or her dog. In the discussion, Council made it clear that they are dog-friendly and do not want to punish responsible dog owners.

The intent is for the rules to be clear for all dog owners and to educate the public on the changes in the ordinance.

A primary revision in the ordinance addresses a concern many people have – the unattended tethering of dogs in yards.

Many responsible dog owners will put their dogs out on a tether, lead or chain, so the dogs have a little more movement to do their business, but the owners are often present.

The real issue is when dogs are put on tethers or leads for several hours at a time, and the owner is not present. These leads often allow the dogs to get within inches of public sidewalks and streets, thus creating the possibility of confrontations between the leashed, unattended dogs and those walking by.

The revised ordinance now makes it a violation for dogs to be left out on tethers, unattended, for extended periods of time.

The Ada Police Department is keeping an eye out for dogs that have been placed out on tethers without an owner present. We understand it will take some time for the public to be aware of and understand this revision.

With that in mind, the Ada Police Department will first try to make contact with the dog’s owner to let him or her know that the manner in which the dog is being tether is a violation. After that initial point of contact, we fully expect responsible dog owners to comply with the ordinance without the need for citation. Should there be continuing or extreme issues, the Ada Police Department will then proceed with citation.

The revised ordinance may be found on the Village’s website, www.adaoh.org. As submitted to the press 4.26.17

Thank you for being a responsible dog owner in our community! We encourage you to pass the word along to fellow dog owners, and as always, contact the Village office with any questions.

The Village Voice
The Village of Ada publishes informational articles about Village policies and services currently offered. These articles are for informational purposes only. Further details and the complete Codified Ordinances may be found on the Village website, www.adaoh.org, or by calling the Village Offices at 419-634-4045.

May Meetings
The meetings listed below are open to the public. Meetings dates and times are subject to change with notice via the press, The Village Voice, and/or the Village website.

May 2 –Council Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Council Chambers, 115 W. Buckeye Ave.

May 12 – Tree Commission meeting, noon, Meeting Room, Viva Maria Restaurant, 124 E. Buckeye Ave.

May 15 – Planning Commission meeting, 6:30 p.m,
     Council Chambers, 115 W. Buckeye Ave.

May 16 – Council Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Council Chambers, 115 W. Buckeye Ave.

May 17 – Ada CIC (Community Improvement Corporation), noon,
     Ada Historic Depot