Residents are frustrated after two incidents with a problematic dog in the Westland subdivision in Coker.TUSCALOOSA COUNTY, AL (WBRC) -
Betty Odom is fed up with the finger pointing between the Tuscaloosa County Commission and Sheriff's Office about who is responsible for policing viscous dogs. She gave both sides an earful at this morning's County Commission meeting about a problematic dog.
"He has already charged several people in the neighborhood. He charged a child the day the drug him out the yard the first time. So you need to do something to get this squared away, " Odom told the audience.
She cites two incidents that happened in her Westland subdivision in Coker. In one instance, she claims deputies arrived three hours after called for assistance. In a second incident, county animal control officers arrived, but couldn't convince the owner to turn the dog over to them.
"The property owner knows the animal control officer did not have full authority to confiscate the dog," County Commissioner Reginald Murray said.
Currently, Tuscaloosa County animal control officers can write tickets, but they don't have arrest powers.
Deputy Sgt. Andy Norris tells Fox6 News that when deputies arrived the dog was gone, so they wrote it up as animal at large case so Odom could get a summons and take the dog's owner to court.
If the commission grants arrest powers to animal control officers, it would be just the third county commission in Alabama to do so.
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