Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, September 3, 1993 TAG: 9309030145
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B1 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: NANCY BELL STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Vinton officials are rewriting an ordinance that restricted Judge John Apostolou on Wednesday from ordering the destruction of Coda, the 65-pound Akita guard dog that attacked 9-year-old Jessica Sartin.
The dog has been banned from Vinton, the strictest punishment allowed under the town's 1988 animal control ordinance.
But that is not enough for Jessica's family or others who fear he may attack again, wherever he lives.
Town officials said the code is being rewritten to reflect state standards that allow judges to order destruction of dangerous dogs.
"We cannot pass on to another locality an animal we wouldn't have within our limits," said Councilman Buford Barton, who supports changing the code.
"Judges should have the authority to have these animals euthanized," he said.
Barton said it is unfortunate that Apostolou did not have the authority under the existing code to have the dog destroyed, particularly in this case. Coda also had bitten a 5-year-old boy.
Mayor Charles Hill said he asked town staff to take another look at the code after Jessica was attacked.
"I think the ordinance needs to be strengthened to protect children and others from being attacked by an animal that is vicious, especially one that has hurt someone else before," Hill said.
Town Attorney Buck Heartwell said Vinton is the only municipality he's dealt with where "destruction of vicious animals is not a standard part of the ordinance."
Heartwell said he did not know "how the ordinance got enacted in this manner."
The revised code, which will conform to Roanoke County's code, is expected to be approved during Town Council's regular session Tuesday.
Memo: shorter version ran in the Metro edition.