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For half an hour Tuesday night, Oriental’s Town Commission considered a leash law in town. The board decided against a new law when it was pointed out that the town already had an ordinance dealing with nuisance and vicious dogs.

The discussion brought forward several residents who said free running dogs threatened pedestrians and bicyclists, ran in front of cars and otherwise dirtied yards with their waste.

On the other side were those who said that Oriental’s neighborhoods had dogs who were in effect citizens of their communities.
Resident Tina Dykins spearheaded a petition drive to get a new leash law. She told the town commission that while walking her dog on a leash, they were accosted by several free-roaming dogs. Lifting her dog from the fray was not an option, she said, as her dog ”weighs more than I do.”

And to those who say that free-roaming dogs are part of the charm of Oriental, Dykins countered that, “A pile of crap isn’t the charm of Oriental.”

Karen Privette said that “my issue is not with dog poop, but with vicious dogs preying on other animals at any time.” She said dogs had killed a duck and cat she owned.

Wally Chapin said he liked “Oriental the way it is.” and opposed a new leash law for dogs. He also raised the issue of free-roaming cats. Chapin said he had one, Charley, that has “decimated the bird, rabbit and squirrel population” around Hodges Street.

Town Manager Wyatt Cutler said that in the past year and a half he’s received “two or three calls about vicious animals.”

The push to enact a new law lost some steam when Town Commissioner Dick Moat read out loud the existing ordinance in town. Under that ordinance, residents who say they’ve been harassed by a dog (or cat, as it turns out) can contact town authorities, which could lead to a twenty dollar fine for the pet owner.

“It shall be unlawful for any owner to permit his dog or cat to run at large if such animal is reported as creating a public nuisance, provided the Police Chief determines after investigation that the reports are supported by the evidence and provided that the Police Chief has notified the owner in writing of his findings…..
(As a public service, TownDock.net has published the entire ordinance on animals, which also states that pigs may not be kept in town.)

After Moat read the existing ordinance, Diane Fidoe of Church Street said that “it sounds like we have sufficient law” on the books and could avoid making a new law. “There are a lot of issues on the plate in this town,” Fidoe said, “and this is not one.”

Carol Wright, who opposed a new leash law, suggested that the existing law be posted on the kiosks near the waterfront areas so that visitors to town would know.

Dog Waste – What Enforcement

While the existing law on nuisance pets addresses violent or harassing animals, it does not speak specifically to the issue of dog waste.

Town Commissioner Dick Moat noted however that a dog being on someone else’s property – whether it defecates or not – could be grounds for exercising the provisions of the existing law.

How To Enforce Existing Animal Laws

Town commissioner Candy Bohmert remarked that what the town needs now is someone to enforce the existing law.

At the moment, Oriental is still without a Police Chief. Town commissioners were to meet in closed session Wednesday night to go over some of the recent applications. In all, Dick Moat reported, 20 people applied for the job. Twelve of them have met, he says, the minimum requirements.

No New Commissioner Chosen, But Not For Lack of Candidates

In other action, or inaction, the Town Board chose not to tap a replacement for resigned commissioner Joe Harris. In addressing that issue, Mayor Sherrill Styron said that the commissioners could not reach a consensus, although the board has not formally met for a public meeting since Harris resigned in mid-January.

“We’ve talked and we’re not going to do anything, “ about replacing Harris at this time, the Mayor said. That situation, of having only four commissioners, could persist until the November elections. In the events of tie votes, the Mayor would be the tie-breaking vote.

While there is no ordinance requiring the town to appoint a replacement in a timely manner, there are at least a half dozen residents who have stated they would like the job. George Duffie, Henry Frazer, Hugh Grady, Hector Le Duc, Tim Rogers, and Joe Valinoti have all sent letters to the town. Commissioner Dick Moat said that any other residents interested in the commission seat should send a letter before the next meeting.

Posted Friday February 4, 2005 by Keith N. Smith