Calumet City has added some new requirements for dog owners - a $100,000 liability policy through their renter's or homeowner's insurance, and fencing that's at least 6 feet tall for dogs to roam free in the yard.
The City Council approved the amendments Thursday.
The insurance is "a good idea," 6th Ward Alderman Nick Manousopoulos said.
"If you've got somebody with a poodle for instance, it's not fair if they don't bite, but for the vicious dog, I think it's a plus," he said. "You've got kids walking down the street with a pit bull and the pit bull weighs more than a kid, so I think that was great."
First 1st Ward Alderman Ed Gonzalez agreed, and said the changes should compel "pet owners to be more careful and diligent with their pets and how they expose other people to their pets.
"That's really what it's about," he said.
The amended ordinance states must be kept in a fenced yard or in an enclosure in the backyard in order to be let off the leash.
Gonzalez wasn't sure how the fence requirements will work for renters.
"I guess they'll have to deal with their landlord on that," he said.
Fines for violations could range from $50 to $750, Mayor Michelle Markiewicz Qualkinbush said.
"If it's a first-time offense, usually you see the lower end of that scale, and if repeated fines do escalate," she said.
The city already requires dogs to be licensed, which costs $10 for the initial application and $5 annually. Owners must show documentation that their dogs have been vaccinated for rabies, Calumet City Clerk Gloria Dooley said.
The amendments come after a two pit bulls got loose and attacked another pit bull in a fenced yard in August. City residents complained about the incident, and about dogs in their neighborhoods.
"It's difficult to say ... which dog is dangerous, but the city council is addressing the concerns of the community," Qualkinbush said. "When irresponsible pet owners who don't care for pets or secure them, that's when you see Animal Control, when the city gets involved.
"Certainly, the ordinance is in place to protect and keep everyone safe from your pets. If you are responsible and do that, that's great. That's all the council is really looking for."
