Monday, January 29, 2007

1) Shiawassee County adopted ordinance in 2000

1) Shiawassee County adopted ordinance in 2000
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"The Shiawassee County Animal Control Ordinance"
.

This has been a long time coming, but its time has come.

I will attempt to provide as much information as I have available.

If any have questions, feel free to ask via the comments and I will attempt to answer....

My position is that I do not believe our Shiawassee County Animal Control Ordinance is written within the laws of the State of Michigan.

It is an illegal ordinance....No one seems to care much.

Surely no one can really do much about it.

What is one lonely little dog owner going to do? Or even one lonely little kennel owner?...

We are at the mercy of the arrogant Shiawassee County Board of Commissioners, the dog catcher, the sheriff, the prosecutor and judges.

None of whom give a rip. ...They believe they are right, or that they have the authority to say they are right and the peasants beware....

Well, this one has made a few noises and this one will continue to make noises.
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for whatever reason this post could not be found via the BLOG INDEX,
so I reposted here and will continue to call it "1)" and change the index to read it from here

Sunday, January 14, 2007

42) HORSESHOES AND HAND GRENADES

Kay Lorraine Lauro works on her animal issue related blog at a friend's Shiawassee Twp home. photo by Anthony Cepak

42) HORSESHOES AND HAND GRENADES

from THE ANNEX OPEN FORUM kaylor "Thanks for the post Kevin...........Just read the story, myself and I certainly wish to thank Gary Gould and Anthony Cepak for their efforts and the Argus Press for the publicity.
Publicity is always welcome for these blogs.
WELCOME to the neighborhood Gary, I hope you have a long run here.
(Sorry everyone will be expecting you to be related to the Gould Family of Owosso founding fame.)
I will have to say newspaper articles can certainly be like horseshoes and hand grenades, even with the best of intentions.
Words get remembered just a little bit askew here and there.
So, I know I'm a bit "picky" (most of you know how I am) but hope ya'll don't mind, too much, if I make just a few corrections here."

Kevin Michael Brown "Front Page Sunday Argus - Kay Lorraine Lauro (Kaylor) and her blog!!
Christine is also mentioned and quoted. Way to GO, ladies!
"Grass Roots" activism at its best!
Sign a petition here: http://www.christinebarry.com/johnson-petition"
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"Local bloggers want to be heard"
By GARY GOULD Argus-Press Staff Writer
Rather than carrying a picket sign to enact change at city hall, many are turning to the Internet to take up their cause for politi­cal change and responsibility.
Web logging, or “blogging,” has become a way for people to not only write about issues that interest them, but it also let’s them speak out about politics — whether it be on a national, state or local level.
For Christine Barry of Caledonia Township, she started her blog — http://www.christinebarry,com/ — right after the 2004 election at a time when she felt Democrats had no voice in Shiawassee County.
“I’ve had people tell me they thought they were the only liber­als left out there until they read my blog,” she said. “I think blog­ging is good because it creates dialogue and gets people involved in the process.”
Barry said blogging forces her to learn about a subject that is interesting to her so she can not only write about it, but become versed well enough to discuss and debate that issue with other people.
In her blog, which she adver­tises as “the only blog focusing on the people and politics of Shiawassee County,” Barry has written about a variety of issues, ranging from the Shiawassee County Board of Commissioners to the November gubernatorial election and even her thoughts on former Detroit Lion’s quarterback Joey Harrington.
“Today Joey made his first Thanksgiving touchdown pass … and then he threw a couple more,” Barry said in her Nov. 23 blog entry. “He’s having a pretty good game today. I think that’s great. But it sucks that he’s doing it as a (Miami) Dolphin. ”
Kay Lorraine-Lauro of Owosso Township became involved in blogging when she grew dissatisfied with licensing fees and practices of Shiawassee County Animal Control. "close"
Lorraine-Lauro, a kennel owner, said she thinks the county has become arrogant over its interpretation of state laws and is setting the fees for kennel licenses too high.
I said dog licenses (individual licenses).
“They have an attitude that they will do what they want to,” she said. “I’ve talked to almost 70 percent of the counties in the state and so far Shiawassee has the highest dog licensing fees.”
I said maybe 70 % of lower Michigan I looked up on the web
As she dug into state laws regarding dog licensing and kennels, Lorraine-Lauro began to put all of her research up in her Internet blog, found at http://www.shiawasseecounty.net.
Found at http://shiacac.blogspot.com/ and I started last spring when kennel licensing for veterinary clinics came up
The site has now become a major stopping point on the Internet for Shiawassee residents who are concerned with dog licensing issues.
Don't recall saying that, don't know if that is true, but I hope it is useful.
“People have so many questions,” Lorraine-Lauro said. “(The blog) has become a resource of information. It makes it so I don’t have to answer so many questions myself.”
I did put the entire Shiawassee County Animal Control Ordinance on it, and the City of Owosso animal code, as well as current dog licensing info.
She said she thinks people find blogs easier than Web sites to use and construct. Last year Lorraine-Lauro said she helped a friend put up a blog regarding the recall attempt against Owosso Township Supervisor Richard Gute and his wife, Clerk Judy Gute.
The blog provided readers with the specific reasons behind the recall attempt and worked to difuse some of the misinformation Lorraine-Lauro claimed (thank you Gary - The Argus has always printed the lies , without qualification, but I "claim") was circulating regarding the Gutes. The recall had to do with the Gutes voting to disband Owosso Township’s ambulance service in favor of an outside contractor.
“We were opposing the recall and they (the Gutes) are still in office,” she said. “I hope we made a difference.”
The recall against the Gutes failed in February 2006.
Lorraine-Lauro has also had some success in grabbing the atten­tion of county officials regarding the dog licensing issue.
NOT LIKELY
About two years ago she said the county looked into the state law and discov­ered they were overcharging kennel fees.
THEY DID, BUT NOT BECAUSE OF ANYTHING I SAID. I ONLY ASKED WHEN THEY WERE GOING TO REFUND THE OVERCHARGES (LIKE THE SOIL EROSION FEES THEY REFUNDED) THEY IGNORED ME
State law said the fees should have been $10 a year for people own­ing 10 dogs or fewer and $25 for more than 10 dogs. Shiawassee County was charging $30 and $60 and was forced to bring the fees in line with state law.
They voluntarily did so. But they didn't volunteer to refund any of the illegal overcharges.
“Usually (county officials) ignore me,” she said. “But I think they are conceding a little bit.”
NOT LIKELY.. AND DON'T THINK I SAID THAT
Barry has been a vocal critic of the Shiawassee County Board of Commissioners in her blogs, particularly over the drain commis­sion fee scandal that has plagued the county for the past year. She has defended former Drain Commissioner Bernie Butcher who is now facing a charge of embezzlement from the county prosecutor’s office for accepting more than $31,000 in soil erosion inspection fees.
Barry, who said the charges against Butcher are unfair, has solicited donations to Butcher’s legal defense fund through her blog and raised hundreds of dollars .
Butcher’s case is scheduled to go before a Circuit Court judge Jan. 16.
Not all local bloggers have an axe to grind with officials, howev­er. At least one blogger is a local official.
Owosso City Manager Gregg Guetschow maintains a blog on the city’s Web site — http://www.ci.owosso.mi.us/ — which he says is used to inform the public about services and events.
Started about a year and a half ago, Guetschow said the blog has been very helpful with the city’s fall leaf collection program, letting the public know where leaf removal crews would be daily.
“We look at it as one more opportunity we have to communicate with residents,” he said. “We do a lot with pictures so people don’t have to take a lot of time reading something.”
While the blog is idle right now, Guetschow said it will be used again when there is more time in his schedule to work on it.

Friday, January 12, 2007

41) City of Owosso Code - Animals

41) City of Owosso Code - Animals


Just another "OUTLAW" Ordinance

City of Owosso Code
Chapter 5
ANIMALS
*
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* Cross References: Unlawful noise from animals and birds, § 18-92.
State Law References: Authority to adopt animal control ordinance, MCL 287.290 (does not give authority to adopt an ordinance such as this*), MSA 12.541; crimes relating to animals
and birds, MCL 750.49 et seq., MSA 28.244 et seq.

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Art. I. In General, §§ 5-1--5-25
Art. II. Dogs, §§ 5-26--5-32

ARTICLE I.
IN GENERAL

Sec. 5-1. Cruelty to animals.
No person shall cruelly treat or abuse any animal or bird in this city. Cruel and abusive treatment shall include but not be confined to inhumanely beating, not adequately feeding, and adequately watering, abandoning, or confining in an area not sufficient to allow the animal adequate exercise.
(Code 1977, § 9.121)
State Law References: Cruelty to animals, MCL 752.21 et seq., MSA 28.161 et seq.
Sec. 5-2. Poisoning animals.
No person shall throw or deposit any poisonous substance on any exposed public or private place where it endangers, or is likely to endanger, any animal or bird.
(Code 1977, § 9.122)
State Law References: Malicious poisoning of animals, MCL 750.377, MSA 28.609; exposing poisonous substances where liable to be eaten by animals, MCL 750.437, MSA 28.692.
Sec. 5-3. Birds and birds' nests.
No person, except a police officer acting in his or her official capacity, shall molest, injure, kill or capture any wild bird, or molest or disturb any wild bird's nest or the contents thereof.
(Code 1977, § 9.123)
State Law References: Similar provisions, MCL 312.10, (1)(e), MSA 13.1339, (1)(e).
Sec. 5-4. Domestic animals and fowl.
No person shall keep or house any animal or domestic fowl within the city except dogs, cats, canaries or other animals commonly classified as pets which are customarily kept or housed inside dwellings as household pets. No person or family or household shall keep more than three (3) adult cats and/or dogs at or in any residence within the city. For purposes of this section a cat or dog is deemed to be an adult upon becoming ten (10) weeks old.
(Code 1977, § 9.124)
Sec. 5-5. Homing pigeons.
Section 5-4 to the contrary notwithstanding, it shall be lawful for any member of a recognized national pigeon association, which supplies pigeons to the United States Armed Forces in time of emergency to keep, house and allow to fly for exercise within the corporate limits, homing or racing pigeons which are suitable and of the type used as messengers in time of war and in civil defense and which are banded with numbered leg bands showing the same to be registered with such associations, providing such pigeons are not kept so as to constitute a nuisance or create a hazard to public health.
(Code 1977, § 9.125)
Sec. 5-6. Baby chicks, ducklings, and rabbits.
It shall be unlawful for any person to sell or offer for sale, barter or give-away baby chicks, rabbits, ducklings, or other fowl as pets or novelties, whether or not dyed, colored or otherwise artificially treated. This section shall not be construed to prohibit the display or sale of natural chicks or ducklings in proper brooder facilities by hatcheries or stores engaged in the business of selling same to be raised for commercial purposes.
(Code 1977, § 9.126)
State Law References: Baby chicks, MCL 287.161 et seq., MSA 12.471 et seq.; sale of dyed baby chicks, rabbits, ducklings,
MCL 752.91 et seq., MSA 12.482(1) et seq.
Secs. 5-7--5-25. Reserved.

ARTICLE II.
DOGS*
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* State Law References: Dog law, MCL 287.261 et seq., MSA 12.511 et seq.

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Sec. 5-26. Definitions.
The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
Dog pound or pound means any facility used by the county dog warden for the confinement or care of animals within the county.
Owner, when applied to the proprietorship of a dog, shall include every person having a right of property in such dog, and every person who keeps or harbors such dog or has it in his or her care, and every person who permits such dog to remain in or about any premises occupied by him or her.
Reasonable control shall mean keeping the dog on a leash other than while upon owner's property, unless the dog is confined in a closed automobile or shipping receptacle.
(Code 1977, § 9.141)
Cross References: Definitions and rules of construction generally, § 1-2.
Sec. 5-27. Running at large.
No person owning any dog, four (4) months of age or over, shall permit such dog to be at large at any time in the city in violation of any of the following restrictions:
(1) No person shall permit any vicious dog of which he or she is the owner to be unconfined unless securely muzzled and led by a leash. Any dog shall be deemed vicious which has bitten a person or domestic animal without molestation, or, which, by its actions gives indication that it is liable to bite any person or domestic animal without molestation.
(2) No person who is in the ownership of any female dog shall permit or allow such female dog to go beyond the premises of such owner when the dog is in heat.
(3) No person who is the owner of any dog shall permit it to be unconfined unless under the reasonable control of some person.
(4) No person who is the owner of any dog shall permit it to be unconfined at any time unless licensed as required by law and unless wearing its license tag and evidence of rabies immunization.
(Code 1977, § 9.142(1--4))
Cross References: Streets, sidewalks and other public places, Ch. 29.
Sec. 5-28. Noise restriction.
No person shall own any dog which by loud or frequent or habitual barking, yelping or howling, shall unreasonably annoy or disturb the quiet, comfort or repose of persons in the vicinity.
(Code 1977, § 9.142(5); Ord. No. 679, § 1, 9-5-06)
Cross References: Noise control generally, § 18-86 et seq.
Sec. 5-29. Seizure, impoundment.
Any dog which is in violation of any section of this article may be seized and impounded by the dog warden or any police officer of the city, or authorized city employee.
(Code 1977, § 9.143)
Sec. 5-30. Rabies control.
(a) Surrender for observation. Any person who shall have in his or her possession a dog which has contracted rabies or which has been subjected to the same or which is suspected of having rabies or which has bitten any person, shall upon demand of the dog warden, the police department or the health officer, produce and surrender up such dog to be held for observation.
(b) Exposure to rabies; notice. It shall be the duty of any person owning or harboring a dog which has been attacked or bitten by another dog or other animal showing the symptoms of rabies, immediately to notify the police department of his or her possession of such dog.
(c) Quarantine order. Any dog that has bitten a person or animal will be quarantined for a period of ten (10) days. The owner, or his or her representative, will receive a quarantine order and such animal will be kept securely confined within a building or enclosure so as to prevent it from coming into contact with any other person or any other animal. It shall not be removed for any reason, during this period, without permission. Failure to comply with this order may result in immediate impoundment at the owner's expense.
(Code 1977, §§ 9.144--9.146)
State Law References: Rules for control of rabies and the disposition of nonhuman agents carrying disease, including rabid animals, MCL 333.5111, MSA 14.15(5111).
Sec. 5-31. Released from pound.
No dog shall be released from the pound unless the owner or persons entitled to claim the same shall pay the fees established by the county dog department. If the dog was impounded by any police officer or other authorized employee of the city, the owner shall pay the additional sum to the city to reimburse for said expense as prescribed by resolution of the council.
(Code 1977, § 9.147)
Sec. 5-32. Responsibility for animal wastes.
No person shall keep a dog on leash or maintain a stationary dog house or kennel within sixty (60) feet of a neighboring residence. No person shall allow animal waste to accumulate for more than forty-eight (48) hours on the ground in the open air. No person walking a dog shall knowingly allow it to deposit its feces on property not belonging to that person, and shall clean up after said dog in case such incident does occur.
(Code 1977, § 9.148)


*At the beginning of this Chapter it states “Authority to adopt animal control ordinance, MCL 287.290” However, MCL 287.290 does not give authority to adopt an ordinance such as this.

MCL 287.290 has to do with licensing dogs. Nothing else. There is nothing in this city ordinance about licensing dogs.
State of Michigan
Dog Law of 1919


MCL 287.290 Municipal animal control ordinances; certificate of vaccination. [M.S.A. 12.541 ]
Sec. 30. A city, village or township by action of its governing body may adopt an animal control ordinance to regulate the licensing, payment of claims and providing for the enforcement thereof. A city, village, county or township adopting a dog licensing ordinance or ordinances shall also require that such application for a license, except kennel licenses, shall be accompanied by proof of vaccination of the dog for rabies by a valid certificate of vaccination for rabies, with a vaccine licensed by the United States department of agriculture, signed by an accredited veterinarian.

History: 1919, Act 339, Eff. Aug. 14, 1919 ;--Am. 1921, Act 310, Eff. Aug. 18, 1921 ;--Am. 1929, Act 329, Eff. Aug. 28, 1929 ;--CL 1929, 5275 ;--Am. 1933, Act 189, Imd. Eff. June 28, 1933 ;--Am. 1941, Act 288, Eff. Jan. 10, 1942 ;--Am. 1943, Act 209, Imd. Eff. Apr. 17, 1943 ;--CL 1948, 287.290 ;--Am. 1949, Act 22, Eff. Sept. 23, 1949 ;--Am. 1952, Act 125, Eff. Sept. 18, 1952 ;--Am. 1953, Act 172, Imd. Eff. June 4, 1953 ;--Am. 1959, Act 211, Eff. Mar. 19, 1960 ;--Am. 1969, Act 195, Eff. Mar. 20, 1970 ;--Am. 1971, Act 229, Eff. Mar. 30, 1972 ;--Am. 1972, Act 349, Imd. Eff. Jan. 9, 1973 .
This MCL 287.290 has not been amended since 1973. As near as I can figure, the city code was adopted in 1977.
Please feel free to leave a comment...........

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

40) Shiawassee County Dog Licenses

Up until March 1 Shiawassee County Dog Licenses may be purchased from all but one veterinarian in the county. (I sorry, I forgot which one that is. I think one over by Byron or Bancroft, but I'm not sure.)
.
You must have a rabies certificate signed by a veterinarian.
.
If the dog is altered you must have proof of that (vet bill).

You can also buy from your City or Township Treasurer.

After March 1 you'll have to go to the courthouse and buy from the treasurer at twice the cost.

unaltered dogs are $30 and after March 1 $60

.....altered dogs are $10 and after March 1 $20

The amount of the dog license is set during the budget process.
.
The 2007 adopted budget projects Animal Control income of $158,000 with expenses projected at $153,811.
.
Please keep in mind the Animal Control budget is to cover the expenses of administering ALL animal related laws, and the Animal control Shelter receives just as many cats into the shelter as dogs while the laws only allow the license fee to be set sufficient to cover the costs of administering "The Dog Law of 1919" as it pertains to dogs. In most counties that means the dog licenses cover about 60% of the Animal Control expenes.

39) 501 visitors have viewed 1611 pages - thankyou

501 Visitors have viewed 1611 pages - thankyou for visiting my blog, hope you found it useful and informative

I started in June 2006 and I hope to continue

Happy New Year to all of you