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Board tables rabbit-and-dog citation after heated exchange, to await BZA and further documentation
Summary
After a protracted hearing in which residents, neighbors and legal counsel debated rabbit breeding, a dog-bite claim and associated fines, the Board of Works tabled the matter to the next meeting and signaled some fines (dog-tag fees) could be waived if corrected.
A contentious animal-control case involving an alleged excessive rabbit-breeding operation and a related dog-bite complaint drew extended public testimony and legal clarification before the board decided to table the citation modification request to the next meeting.
The inspector described multiple ordinance violations at a South McGill Street address, including excessive rabbits, dogs running at large and a vicious-dog finding; the inspector assessed an initial citation package totaling roughly $2,000 using a 30-rabbit count for calculation fairness and separate fines for dog-related violations. The property owner said she had recently undergone back surgery, explained the rabbits are show animals kept in a climate-controlled shed, and said she had attempted to inform the inspector of her medical constraints.
Neighbors disputed aspects of the account. One neighbor described a dog-bite incident and alleged the complainant sought $1,000; others described a complex neighborhood context including trespassing and safety concerns. Board legal counsel advised the assembly that the Board of Works' role is to determine whether ordinance violations occurred; civil damages (hospital bills) must be pursued in civil court, and potential criminal matters should be handled by police and prosecutors.
The chair offered to waive the dog-tag fines after the owners came in and obtained tags; other citation components (vicious-dog finding and rabbit-count fines) remained on the record. Board members decided to table final disposition of the citation to the next Board of Works meeting to allow the owner's Board of Zoning Appeals paperwork and additional evidence to be considered.
The board emphasized that dog-at-large and vicious-dog determinations are enforceable by ordinance and that penalties and enforcement options are limited by the scope of the board's authority. The matter will return next month with additional documentation and a path from the BZA regarding backyard animals.
