Park Forest, IL–(ENEWSPF)– The Park Forest Village Board took action at its March 8 Regular Meeting to deter the practice of dog or animal fighting.
According to Police Chief Thomas Fleming, the current animal cruelty ordinance did not specifically address the growing problem of dog fighting or the raising of fighting animals, such as dogs and poultry.
The changes in to the ordinance requested by police are intended to define and clarify that breeding, storing, training, etc. any animals to fight is a violation. The ordinance also states that an animal that has been seized by the animal control officer must have proof of a current rabies vaccination and lists the fees associated with the taking of the animal to a registered veterinarian for storage or treatment. Should there be a continuing problem with an animal running at large, the ordinance states the animal shall be neutered or micro-chipped. The final ordinance change addresses the threat of an animal being used to threaten or attack another person when in the control of its handler.
Changes to the current ordinance include the following (in bold):
Sec. 14-6 Cruelty.
No person shall cruelly treat any animal in the village in any way. Any person who inhumanely shelters, secures, trains, exercises, breeds, beats, underfeeds, overloads or abandons any animal shall be deemed guilty of a violation of this Code.
Sec. 14-10 Animal or fowl fighting prohibited.
No person shall promote, stage, hold, manage, conduct or carry on or be a spectator at any animal or fowl fight or any other type of contest or game of a similar nature, nor any simulated version of same that involves baiting or inciting an animal or fowl, nor possess, keep, house, train, or sell any animal or fowl for any of the purposes set forth herein.
Sec. 14-13 Animal Recklessness.
No person shall endanger the bodily safety of an individual by any means while having an animal in his possession or perform any act that endangers the bodily safety of another, whether it is otherwise lawful or unlawful.
