There's enough teeth in Peachtree

City's animal ordinances to nip potentially dangerous dogs in the bud.

But there is some concern that

not enough is being done in the city's municipal court to enforce the

laws currently on the books. Concerns about a growing number of dangerous

dogs in the city were voiced at a workshop of the Peachtree City Council

last week.

Bill Newman of the Fayette

County Animal Shelter, which also operates an animal control program,

said there have been several instances in which municipal court judge

A. Mitchell Powell has declined to declare a dog "vicious" when

petitioned to do so by animal control officers worried about the public's

safety near the animal.

Once a dog is declared "vicious"

top, sides and bottom (so the dog can't dig its way out), Newman said.

The city ordinance allows a dog to be found vicious even if a bite or

injury does not take place. A dog can be cited as vicious if it attacks

humans, other animals or foul, the ordinance states.

Mayor Steve Brown said he would

meet with Judge Powell and city solicitor Rick Lindsey, who is charged

with prosecuting cases in municipal court.

Brown said his concern was

making sure safety precautions are taken with vicious dogs before they

attack someone.

"It seems like the important

thing to do is to get the dogs declared vicious," Brown said.

Another growing problem with

dangerous dogs is that some Peachtree City residents leave them tied up

outside for extended periods of time, Newman added.

Peachtree City's ordinances

allow dogs to be "tethered" but there was some sentiment to

ban tethering altogether.

"You see an awful lot

of dogs in Peachtree City that are tethered all day long," Newman

said.

The possibility of requiring

fencing for dogs in special cases was also discussed, but it was pointed

out that people who rent homes in the city wouldn't be allowed to keep

their dog because they couldn't build the fence.

The cheapest option would likely

be to build a vinyl coated chain link fence in the backyard, it was said.

Jim Williams, the city's director

of developmental services, said city ordinances allow fences as high as

10 feet in backyards as long as the fence is located between the home

and the rear setback for the property.

The use of tethering to keep

dogs outside is "very prevalent in Wynnmeade" according to city

officials.

Wayne Roberts of the Wynnmeade

Homeowners Association said some residents there use sticks to strike

pit bulls and other aggressive dogs that are kept outdoors.