Sumter County homeowners with bad dogs could face foreclosure

Bad dogs ultimately could result in the loss of their owner’s home to foreclosure under a revised Sumter County ordinance.

Commissioners voted Tuesday night to transfer animal control functions from law enforcement to the zoning special master.

Instead of receiving citations, owners of unruly dogs now can be fined by the special master. As in code enforcement cases, failure to pay fines or repeated violations may result in liens against the owner’s property and possibly foreclosure.

Assistant County Administrator Stephen Kennedy, who supervises animal control functions, said the county is not seeking to penalize pet owners.

“Our goal at animal services is to encourage responsible pet ownership,” he said.

Violations include animals repeatedly found running at large, those that damage property of anyone other than the owner or those that molest passersby or chase vehicles on a public street.

Other violations include animals that are offensive or dangerous to public health and safety due to the unwillingness of owners to care for them. Animal cruelty also is defined and prohibited along with fighting, baiting or abandoning them.

The ordinance requires dogs, cats and ferrets to be licensed and wear rabies vaccination tags.