Video: Tighter rules for dangerous dog owners

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MOUNT VERNON, Wash. - A few times a week you can find Bill Sauneuf at a Mount Vernon park, playing catch with his German Shepherd "Jester."

Though Jester is well behaved, Sauneuf worries that changes in the city dog ordinance could force him to buy liability insurance.

"If the law required me to have one, I'd get one, but wouldn't like it," he said.

The city is looking at whether to require owners of "dangerous dogs," dogs that have viciously attacked in the past, to carry $500,000 insurance policies. Owners of so-called "potentially dangerous dogs" would have to carry $250,000 policies.

"Any dog that would be menacing, threatening, chasing other people or other domestic animals, would be an example of behavior of a potentially dangerous dog," said Jill Boudreau of the Mount Vernon Police Dept.

The city animal control officer is the one who makes the decision and often bases that decision on what witnesses say.

Sauneuf says that's troublesome for people who own dogs like jester.

"He's a big dog and somebody could easily be scared by him," he said.

But Chuck Starkey, whose dog Teddy was nearly another dog's lunch, thinks some owners should have large insurance policies.

"Just to protect the people who get attacked, because you know they're going to need some help," he said.

KING

A few times a week you can find Bill Sauneuf at a Mount Vernon park, playing catch with his German Shepherd "Jester."

Saunuef says instead of insurance, a better requirement for dog owners would be education.

"Make them train their dogs, put them through classes and education, treat the problem, educate the dogs, educate the people about their dogs," he said.

Insurance policies aren't cheap. One of the best deals we could find online cost $900 a year for $250,000 worth of coverage.

The Mount Vernon City Council is holding a public hearing at 7 tonight on changes to the dog ordinance.