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Date Posted: 17:12:30 03/31/02 Sun
Author: Sue N
Subject: More problems for Wisconsin?

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Sat, Mar 30, 2002

Loose dogs frustrate police
Animal-control officer needed, cops say

By Peter J. Wasson
Wausau Daily Herald
pwasson@wdhprint.com

Wausau police officers nearly shot another pit bull dog Friday morning after it was reported running loose and threatening other dogs on the city's southwest side.

The hour-long incident ended when a friend of the dog's owner was called to the scene to chain it. Police say the incident is more evidence that the city needs a professional animal-control officer.

"I have limited recourse in this situation," said Officer Bob Dudley, one of two officers who followed the pit bull through neighborhoods near Wausau West High School before it was captured. "Look at what my options were: Chase it around or shoot it. There's no good solution."
Wausau Police Deputy Chief Paul Luoma said his officers should not be placed in such situations.

"We're just not equipped for dog-control issues," he said. "We're not trained. Our officers could be trained, but they would use it infrequently and lose it. If we had a dog-control officer, they would be working in the whole metro area constantly."
The Humane Society of Marathon County has offered to contract with Wausau, Rothschild, Weston and Schofield to provide an animal-control officer, but the society's shelter manager, Judy Lombard, said none of the municipalities has re-sponded.

Dudley and Officer Pao Yang were called to the area at about 8 a.m. and found the dog, Hennesey, wandering through yards near its home at 1027 N. Seventh Avenue.

They feared the situation would end as have four other incidents within the city: with a dead or injured dog. Police shot and wounded a rottweiler Jan. 23 after it threatened an officer on Forest Street and officers killed three pit bulls after a series of attacks in early 2000.

When it spotted the officers Friday, the dog fled. At one point, officers thought they had it corralled in a fenced yard near the high school, but it was able to squeeze through a gap. Officers lost its track.

"We're lucky it's spring break and there's no classes or there would be kids all over," Dudley said as he continued looking for Hennesey. "I don't need this. Not on a day like today."
After about 30 minutes, the animal returned to its home and stood on the back porch, alternately scratching at the door and staring and barking at officers standing about 50 feet away.

"The third option I had was to find a way to get the dog restrained," Dudley said. "Dispatch couldn't contact the owner and it was very convoluted, her ex-boyfriend's brother or something, but we ended up getting someone who was familiar with the dog to come chain it up."
With no animal officer, police are left to manage as best they can, as Dudley said he did Friday. He issued Hennesey's owner, Danielle Fischer, 21, a $100 citation for allowing her dog to run loose.

"We got lucky," Dudley said. "But I'm tired of being in this situation."

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