Illinois Valley News

Since a horse and unborn foal in Selma were killed by a pack of dogs on March 26, there have been at least two other reported complaints regarding similar incidents.

According to logs kept by the Josephine County Sheriff“s Office (JCSO), a dog attack at the 700 block of Indian Creek Road was reported to dispatchers on the evening of Thursday, April 1.

Logs state that the complainant reported that her border collie had been mauled by pit bulls. The attack apparently left the collie“s neck open and bleeding, and occurred near where the horse had been killed March 26.

The complainant reported seeing two large, white pit bulls with black spots around noon on April 1 drinking ditch water at one end of Draper Valley Road.

A second incident was reported to dispatch Thursday, April 8 from the 100 block of Linkhart Road. JCSO logs state that it was the third caller to report two pit bulls attacking animals in the community.

The complainant and neighbors had asked the dogs“ owner to tie them up, logs state, but there was no compliance. Both incidents were forwarded to Josephine County Animal Control, which has assigned an officer to investigate.

There are a series of statutes under Oregon law that codify the responsibilities of dog owners.

Oregon Revised Statute (ORS) 609.060 states that a dog shall be considered running at large when it is off or outside of the premises belonging to its owner, or not in the company of and under control of its owner or keeper.

ORS 609.095 states that a dog shall be considered a public nuisance if it bites a person, chases vehicles or persons, damages or destroys property of persons other than owner of the dog, scatters garbage, trespasses on private property of persons other than owner of the dog or disturbs any person by frequent or prolonged noises.

Under ORS 609.100, every owner of a dog with a set of permanent canine teeth, or is at least 6 months old, is required to procure a license for the animal within 30 days of obtaining ownership. A certificate of current rabies shot is required for the license, which is valid for one year. Owners can be fined $30 if the dog is picked up or an officer makes contact with an unlicensed animal.

Licenses can be purchased at the animal control office at 1420 Brookside Blvd. in Merlin, the Environmental Health Dept. at 715 N.W. Dimmick St. in Grants Pass, or at various veterinary offices.

Dog owners have 30 days to obtain the license after the dog reaches 6 months of age. Owners have 30 days after moving into the state to license their dogs. Licenses obtained in Oregon are valid in all its counties.

Under ORS 609.140, the owner of any livestock damaged by being injured, chased or killed by a dog shall have a cause of action against the dog owner for the damages. Those damages can be double the value of the livestock killed and double the amount of any damage caused to the livestock.

ORS 609.150 states that any dog that wounds or injures any livestock not belonging to its owner is a public nuisance and can be killed immediately by any person. If a dog is found feeding upon the warm carcass of livestock not belonging to its owner, it shall be deemed “prima facie“ as engaging in the livestock“s killing. However, no person shall kill any dog for killing, wounding, injuring or chasing chickens.

ORS 609.850 states that no person shall beat, misuse, torture, deprive of food and water, or otherwise treat an animal in a cruel manner. Under ORS 609.446, no person shall allow his pet animal to run at large or create any health hazard within a mobile home park.

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