Guest Blogger: Animal Control Issues

To Citizens, Animal Lovers and Civil Libertarians of the Brazos Valley:

A coalition of animal rescue groups, veterinarians, citizens, and local public leaders have come together to address a festering problem concerning the rule of law and abuse of local police power that came to a head in early 2007 over the practice of administrative inspections of pet owners’ homes without warrants. The coalition has worked over the last year and a half to prepare a new animal ordinance code that features a preamble emphasizing stewardship, respect for animals, responsible ownership, and the constitutional rights of owners. It includes a trap, neuter, return program for feral cats. The dangerous dog provision protects the health and safety of the community while extending due process to an owner accused of harboring a dangerous dog. Finally the proposal ends the practice of administrative inspections and searches of homes without warrants and restricts the hot pursuit of animals onto private property consistent with the constitutional protection the Fourth amendment extends to the curtilage of a home.

College Station and Brazos County are close to adopting this proposal. Bryan has said no to it and is considering adoption of an alternative proposal drafted by its police department. First the police department should not make the laws it will enforce. Our constitutional system features a division and separation of powers for good reason. And the police department proposal tramples on the constitutional liberties of pet owning citizens in Bryan. It authorizes inspections and searches of homes and permits animal control officers to seize property in the form of pets and other animals, all without a warrant. Such practices are dangerous, illegal, and unconstitutional and should not be tolerated by the people of Bryan.

Bryan councilman Mike Southerland is leading the charge to stop this from happening. If you love animals and cherish your constitutional liberty and freedom please write emails and send faxes to mikesoutherland@verizon.com and 979-260-4152; or, turn out at one or more town meetings scheduled for June 2, 5:30 p.m. at the Bryan Justice Center; June 9 (no time yet) at the Bryan city council workshop; and June 23, at the city council's 6 p.m. meeting. To read the police department's proposal and to follow updates on the scheduling of future town meetings go to:
http://www.bryantx.gov/departments/?name=police

-Charles Brooks