Kalamazoo lawmaker working on bill to start 'dangerous dog registry'

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - A local lawmaker is proposing a bill that would put dangerous dogs or dogs who bite on a registry, and could send owners of repeat offenders to jail.

Newschannel 3 spoke to Kalamazoo State Representative Jon Hoadley about this bill aimed at protecting mail carriers and utility workers.

Rep. Hoadley wants to create a dangerous dog registry, aimed at putting a stop to dog attacks and exposing their owners.

"If a dog has been aggressive in terms of biting or actually mauling someone it could be placed on the list, and that would place the owner at a higher level of accountability. So if the dog did something again the owners could be held personally responsible," he said.

A dog attack in July, which left a man with severe injuries to his arms--plus a few other incidents--prompted Hoadley to sponsor the bill.

"This started because people were contacting our office who have lost family members due to dog bites or who have been severely injured. A lot of people don't know that Michigan is the 6th highest state for dog bites in the country," he said.

And here is how it would work: if your dog bites someone and a police report is filed, your dog could then be registered--and if the dog continues to bite you could face possible jail time.

"This is a process that protects you and your animal. And you can't just be placed on the registry because someone else said something you have the ability to contest that and make sure you are standing up for your dog," Hoadley said.

Hoadley says mail carriers and utility workers who serve our community deserve protection and under this bill would be notified of the dog's owner's address.

"This is about keeping your dog safe as well, because the more you know about potentially dangerous dogs in the area the more you can keep someone or the dog that you care about safe as well," he said.

Hoadley says the registry would not be breed specific and would focus on behavior.

The owners could risk facing up to four years in prison for not properly controlling their dogs.

At this time action has not yet been taken on this bill as more tweaks need to be made.