After months of debate, the Starkville Board of Aldermen passed an ordinance for the control of dangerous dogs and various other dangerous animals.
This ordinance will require every dog owner to register his or her dogs. If a dog threatens or attacks a person off of its owner’s property, the owner must either build a sturdy enclosure with four walls, a roof and a floor for the dog or keep the dog inside.
The dog ordinance is an effort to encourage dog owners to be responsible for their pets. People have the right to own dogs, but like anything else they must have control over their pets and keep the pets and the general community safe.
The ordinance did not come out of the blue, either. The Board of Aldermen researched the ordinance, looking at similar ordinances from other cities and coming up with the best solution for Starkville.
This ordinance is a progressive move for the Board of Aldermen for both the safety of the residents and the animals of Starkville.
The Reflector editorial board is made up of opinion editor Angela Adair, news editor Elizabeth Crisp, assistant news editor Jed Pressgrove, sports editor Jeff Edwards, entertainment editor Dustin Barnes, managing editor Pam McTeer and editor in chief Josh Foreman.