Board Of Health Discusses 5 Recent Dangerous Animal Declarations

The Board of Health met 05/10/2023. One of the information items was notice of 5 dangerous animal declarations.

• Caleb’s pit bull attacked a person and cause “significant facial injuries that required immediate hospital medical aid. The wounds suffered by the victim needed a total of 20 stiches.”
• Brandon’s and Shayna’s mastiff/shepherd attacked a child, causing severe bodily harm. “The victim needed 20+ stiches.”
• Sean’s husky has had several incidents of attacking both other dogs as well as a human without provocation.
• The Fox Valley Humane Association adopted out a husky that “viciously attacked his new owner. The attack caused serious bodily harm,” and the owner needed multiple stiches on their face.
• The Green Bay Humane Society adopted out a mutt that, unprovoked, attacked a domesticated cat, fracturing multiple bones in the cat’s face. The dog also showed aggression toward a human.

These were not reviewed in any great detail, but Health Officer Charles Sepers did not that none of the dangerous animal declarations were challenged.

Alderperson Vered Meltzer (District 2) asked if, once an animal received a dangerous declaration, if that traveled with them to whatever other community it moved to. Health Officer Sepers responded that it was a legal designation that stayed with the animal.

Board member Lee Vogel asked practically how that designation followed an animal if they were moved to a different location. Health Officer Sepers said that it was difficult to track where an animal might be moved. If the Appleton Police Department was aware of a move they would reach out [presumably to the police department for the other community] and let them know. However, “If we don’t know that someone’s moving, or if they flee, that would be near impossible to kind of figure out.”

I’ve prepared a transcript of the discussion for download.

View full meeting details and video here: https://cityofappleton.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=1092161&GUID=F715722F-3DFC-4231-8AA1-235A8C4FDC0E