Post by RealPitBull on Feb 27, 2008 8:33:33 GMT -5
HIGHLANDS — Pit bull Ruckus gets to see another day.
www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080227/NEWS01/802270407/1004/NEWS01
Municipal Court Judge Peter A. Locasio Tuesday night approved an agreement that allows Stephen and Irene Douglas of Keansburg to get their dog back from the Associated Humane Societies as soon as they meet court-ordered conditions on how they have to contain Ruckus.
Locasio also made it clear that the dog owners must make sure that there never is a second attack. Had Locasio ruled against the Douglases, Ruckus would have been euthanized as a dangerous dog.
"Ultimately, my concern, and what has to be everybody's concern to assure the public, (is) that this dog doesn't harm someone else again," Locasio said.
The issue of whether Ruckus should live or die arose from a Jan. 11 incident in which a letter carrier in Keansburg was attacked from behind and bitten by the dog. Postal worker Robert Ketch, 43, of Woodland Avenue, Keansburg, said the attack took place just after he had delivered themail at the Douglas home. He was heading up the street when he was attacked from behind by the dog, who had slipped past the owner and out the front door. Ketch suffered bites on his hands, chest and stomach from the attack.
The agreement had been approved in advance by the judge, the Douglases and the Ketch family. In court Tuesday, Locasio outlined the following requirements that the Douglases must meet in order to get the dog back: Ruckus must be registered as a potentially dangerous dog; Ruckus is to be enclosed in a four-sided structure when not tied up; a fence at least 6 feet high must be placed around the enclosure at least 3 feet from it; and the enclosure must be padlocked to prevent entry by outsiders.
Another provision is that if Ruckus is taken out of the enclosure, he must be securely muzzled and restrained with a reinforced tether.
The Douglases must also "conspicuously" display a sign on their property within 50 feet of the enclosure that indicates a "potentially dangerous" dog is on the premises.
In return, the Douglases will not have to secure additional liability insurance.
The Douglases were fined $100 plus $33 in court costs after pleading guilty to possessing a dangerous dog. As part of the court agreement, the other charges of a dog running at large and dog license requirements were dropped.
Once the dog pen and the dangerous dog sign have been installed and inspected by animal control authorities, Ruckus will be returned to the Douglases from the Associated Humane Societies facility in Tinton Falls, where he has been kept since the Jan. 11 attack.
Bruce Sanchez, Associated Humane Society general manager and chief animal-control officer, had said that based on Ruckus' behavior there, he planned to recommend that the dog be put to death.
Kathleen Ketch said she hopes the agreement prevents Ruckus from running through the front door when the owners come home, as was the case when he got out and ran after and attacked her husband.
"Obviously, he (Ruckus) isn't going to be muzzled when he's alone in the house," she said.
Stephen Douglas, 43, of Creek Road maintained that Ruckus isn't the vicious animal people had described him as and fought to get him back.
Ironically, Douglas said, it was ultimately Sanchez and Louis Macado, also of the Humane Societies, as well as Victor "Buddy" Amato, Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals chief inspector, who turned out to be instrumental in saving Ruckus' life by helping to craft the agreement that all the parties agreed to.
"Those guys made it happen," Douglas said. "Between the three of them, they saved the dog by setting the requirements for Ruckus."
Keansburg Municipal Court Judge Michael D. Pugliese was originally scheduled to hear the case Tuesday morning, but he recused himself because of a friendship with someone with the Humane Society.
To avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest, the case was moved here.
The Keansburg Borough Council, which meets at 7:30 tonight, may consider drafting a vicious dog ordinance for that borough.
www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080227/NEWS01/802270407/1004/NEWS01
Municipal Court Judge Peter A. Locasio Tuesday night approved an agreement that allows Stephen and Irene Douglas of Keansburg to get their dog back from the Associated Humane Societies as soon as they meet court-ordered conditions on how they have to contain Ruckus.
Locasio also made it clear that the dog owners must make sure that there never is a second attack. Had Locasio ruled against the Douglases, Ruckus would have been euthanized as a dangerous dog.
"Ultimately, my concern, and what has to be everybody's concern to assure the public, (is) that this dog doesn't harm someone else again," Locasio said.
The issue of whether Ruckus should live or die arose from a Jan. 11 incident in which a letter carrier in Keansburg was attacked from behind and bitten by the dog. Postal worker Robert Ketch, 43, of Woodland Avenue, Keansburg, said the attack took place just after he had delivered themail at the Douglas home. He was heading up the street when he was attacked from behind by the dog, who had slipped past the owner and out the front door. Ketch suffered bites on his hands, chest and stomach from the attack.
The agreement had been approved in advance by the judge, the Douglases and the Ketch family. In court Tuesday, Locasio outlined the following requirements that the Douglases must meet in order to get the dog back: Ruckus must be registered as a potentially dangerous dog; Ruckus is to be enclosed in a four-sided structure when not tied up; a fence at least 6 feet high must be placed around the enclosure at least 3 feet from it; and the enclosure must be padlocked to prevent entry by outsiders.
Another provision is that if Ruckus is taken out of the enclosure, he must be securely muzzled and restrained with a reinforced tether.
The Douglases must also "conspicuously" display a sign on their property within 50 feet of the enclosure that indicates a "potentially dangerous" dog is on the premises.
In return, the Douglases will not have to secure additional liability insurance.
The Douglases were fined $100 plus $33 in court costs after pleading guilty to possessing a dangerous dog. As part of the court agreement, the other charges of a dog running at large and dog license requirements were dropped.
Once the dog pen and the dangerous dog sign have been installed and inspected by animal control authorities, Ruckus will be returned to the Douglases from the Associated Humane Societies facility in Tinton Falls, where he has been kept since the Jan. 11 attack.
Bruce Sanchez, Associated Humane Society general manager and chief animal-control officer, had said that based on Ruckus' behavior there, he planned to recommend that the dog be put to death.
Kathleen Ketch said she hopes the agreement prevents Ruckus from running through the front door when the owners come home, as was the case when he got out and ran after and attacked her husband.
"Obviously, he (Ruckus) isn't going to be muzzled when he's alone in the house," she said.
Stephen Douglas, 43, of Creek Road maintained that Ruckus isn't the vicious animal people had described him as and fought to get him back.
Ironically, Douglas said, it was ultimately Sanchez and Louis Macado, also of the Humane Societies, as well as Victor "Buddy" Amato, Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals chief inspector, who turned out to be instrumental in saving Ruckus' life by helping to craft the agreement that all the parties agreed to.
"Those guys made it happen," Douglas said. "Between the three of them, they saved the dog by setting the requirements for Ruckus."
Keansburg Municipal Court Judge Michael D. Pugliese was originally scheduled to hear the case Tuesday morning, but he recused himself because of a friendship with someone with the Humane Society.
To avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest, the case was moved here.
The Keansburg Borough Council, which meets at 7:30 tonight, may consider drafting a vicious dog ordinance for that borough.
I look forward to learning much here