Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety Animal Control topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Resident asks Carol Stream to require tethering of dogs in front yards to reduce safety risks
Summary
A resident said existing state/local leash language is vague and urged the village to pass an ordinance requiring tethering of dogs in front yards unless contained, citing near-misses and public-safety concerns; trustees said they will review ordinance options.
CAROL STREAM, Ill. — At the Village Board’s listening post, resident David Goldstein asked trustees to enact an ordinance requiring that dogs kept in front yards be tethered unless they are in a fenced yard, saying loose dogs pose a hazard to pedestrians and children.
Goldstein said he had witnessed dogs loose on sidewalks and that current rules do not specify tethering. “I really would like to encourage the village to pass an ordinance that anybody that's gonna have their dogs out in their front yard, they have to be tethered in order to prevent anything like that happened,” he told the board.
Village officials responded that the existing regulation discussed at the meeting requires dogs to be on a leash of at least six feet when walked, but that a specific tethering rule for front yards is not on the books. Trustee comments indicated staff would review options; one trustee said they had the resident’s contact information and would follow up about ordinance choices.
Police or village staff did not announce a formal plan to draft a new ordinance during the meeting, but trustees acknowledged the safety concerns and said they would examine legal and enforcement options.
Why it matters: Residents and trustees framed the request as a public-safety and quality-of-life issue; if the village pursues an ordinance, enforcement mechanisms and penalties would need to be established and communicated to the public.
