Council affirms ‘vicious’ designation for dog Dante after two park incidents; owner ordered to remove animal within three days

Carroll City Council voted to affirm a police finding that a dog named Dante is a vicious animal, ordering that the animal be removed from Carroll City limits within three days unless otherwise lawfully disposed of.

The decision followed testimony about two separate encounters in Rolling Hills Park that staff and witnesses described as escalating: a reported Aug. 20 incident in which an off‑leash dog allegedly bit a bicyclist, and a Sept. 8 incident in which the same dog ran up to two leashed German shepherds at a dog‑waste station and made contact with at least one of them. Detective Cleaver testified that the Aug. 20 complainant, who did not attend the hearing, reported being bitten and that the dog’s owner apologized at the scene. Officer Mener described the Sept. 8 encounter and noted the owner subsequently was found guilty in magistrate court on an animal‑at‑large charge related to that event.

“I'm kind of, I was freaking out … I don't want anybody else to get hurt,” said Elizabeth Fan, a dog owner who testified that her dogs were leashed and unprovoked when the other animal approached and bit one of her animals. Fan said the dog’s earlier behavior and the second attack raised safety concerns for children and park users.

Owner Pedro Perez Heredia acknowledged the incidents and apologized to the people involved. “I'm not going to deny any of the facts that are shown here,” he told council, saying one episode began after he removed the leash to play fetch and that on the later date the dog was wearing a choke collar.

Police presented additional background from animal‑control contacts: staff said the dog had previously been at a rescue facility and had earlier been scheduled for euthanasia before being adopted in February 2024; city staff said subsequent efforts to rehouse the dog were unsuccessful. The city attorney summarized the council’s role and the statutory standard: the council must determine whether the dog attacked a person or domestic animal without provocation and while at large; if affirmed, the owner must remove the dog from city limits within three days or the city may require euthanasia.

A council member moved to affirm Chief Burke’s determination that the dog met the ordinance criteria for a vicious animal. The motion was seconded and the council voted to affirm; the city attorney will prepare the written order and arrange service within the three‑day period established by city code.

The hearing record includes officer reports, witness statements from nearby residents, and the magistrate court sentencing order on the animal‑at‑large charge. Council discussion focused on public‑safety implications for a heavily used trail and the need for owners to control animals in park areas. The meeting adjourned after routine council business.