The Knoxville City Council held a special meeting recently to address a citizen’s appeal on the City’s ruling that two of his dogs must be removed from city limits. As previously reported by KNIA/KRLS news one person was transported to the hospital for serious injuries after trying to break up a fight between two pit bulls inside a home in Knoxville on January 9th. A hearing on the case determined the animals are dangerous according to city code and the owner was ordered to remove the dogs from city limits or have them destroyed within 30 days. The owner of the animals then filed an appeal before the Knoxville City Council which was heard last Friday.

City Manager Dick Schrad tells KNIA/KRLS news the dog owner stated that such incidents had not happened before. He was then confronted with information that one of the dogs had attacked his wife last fall as well. The City Council voted to uphold the “dangerous animal” determination and the owner was again order to remove them from the city. Schrad says he has since complied with the order and has taken the dogs out of town.

He says he doubts this will change how anything the city does with regard to ordinances or procedures. The process worked as it was supposed to according to Schrad, and no one has any intention of being breed-specific in these determinations as the rules depend on the training and behavior of the animals rather than the type of species.

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