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Resident recounts fatal dog attack, urges county requirement for 'vicious dog' signage
Summary
A Westminster resident told commissioners that a neighbor’s unsecured dog killed the family pet and urged the county to require signage on properties where dogs are designated 'vicious' to warn mail carriers and pedestrians; the board asked the speaker to submit written details for follow‑up.
During public comment at the April 2 meeting, resident Jean Batis Regard described a January 19 incident in Manchester in which a neighbor’s dog killed the family’s dog. Regard said animal control labeled the neighbor’s dog "vicious" and urged the board to require property owners with vicious dogs to post warning signage so mail carriers and the public can avoid potential danger.
Regard recounted the family’s ongoing physical and emotional injuries, described follow‑up work with animal control and said surveillance footage captured the neighbor’s dog off leash weeks after the fatal attack. “I propose that all dog owners who have dogs labeled as vicious must have a sign on their property warning others to this potential danger,” she said.
County staff asked Regard to email the commissioners with supporting information about the incident and any actions taken by animal control so staff could follow up. The board indicated staff would review the request and consult with relevant offices, including the county attorney and animal control, as appropriate.
A caller on the line, Katherine Adelaide of the Carroll County Republican Central Committee, offered community announcements and event reminders; she also extended condolences to the speaker.
Why it matters: The comment raises a public‑safety request that, if pursued, may require county legal review and possible code or administrative changes about notice to the public when a dog is designated vicious.
