Tougher Dog Law Enacted; Caspers Rules Relaxed

County supervisors Tuesday passed a tough law aimed at curbing attacks by vicious dogs and voted to relax camping rules at Caspers Wilderness Park.

The law considers a dog to be vicious if twice in a year it has bitten or has tried to bite a person or “chased or approached a person upon the streets, sidewalks or any public or private property in an apparent attitude of attack.”

An owner of a dog designated as vicious would be required to carry a $100,000 insurance policy or post a $100,000 bond to cover claims by anyone injured or killed. A violation of the law would be a criminal misdemeanor with a maximum penalty of up to six months in jail and a $500 fine.

Two residents complained to the supervisors that the definition of a vicious dog is too subjective under the ordinance as drafted. Supervisor Roger R. Stanton directed county counsel to clarify the law to say a dog attack cannot be considered vicious if it occurs when the animal is protecting its owner’s property.

The other supervisor vote opened Caspers to individual camping by adults. For almost two years, since two cougar attacks, the park had restricted camping to parties of two or more adults. The park is still closed to camping by children.

The same rules apply to camping in O’Neill Regional Park.