Citing the need to explore expanding and rewriting a 2010 ordinance concerning dog permits in Atlantic, the City’s Community Protection Commission, Tuesday, tabled action on forwarding a recommendation pertaining to Vicious Dog permits, to the City Council. Police Chief Steve Green said there are only two reasons a person would need to have a Vicious Dog permit. That includes a dog who has bitten someone, but is still “worthy of redeeming,” but needs to be insured to protect against loss. The other reason is if a person owns a guard dog, which by nature, is trained to be vicious. The owner he says, should have to insure against that animal getting loose and biting someone.

Green has his own definition of what constitutes a “Vicious Dog.” It is one who jumps up and attacks the torso or face or a person. He says no amount of insurance will replace the face of a child who is attacked by such an animal. Green says there is no reason to issue a permit for that type of animal within the City limits. Green and City Administrator Doug Harris agreed, the current definition in the ordinance is wrong, and giving the City Administrator control over how those permits should be issued, not having even seen the animal, is wrong.

Green is in the process of rewriting the guidelines and definitions for the ordinance. In other business, the CPC tabled action on truck parking within the City limits, because arrangements are in the works to possibly relocate the current parking lots for semis and other similar, large vehicles that are not allowed to park on City Streets.