What to do about complaints of unleashed dogs running in urbanized areas of Cole County continues to be discussed by the county commission.
Last week, commissioners heard from a St. Martins couple who said they had trouble with neighbors who live outside the city limits. They claimed these neighbors let their dogs run onto their property, scaring the couple's children.
Commissioners told the couple that since St. Martins did have a leash law it was in their jurisdiction to take some type of action, not the county.
Unlike other communities in the county, such as Russellville, St. Martins does not have a contract with the sheriff's department to pick up stray dogs and take them to the Jefferson City Animal Shelter.
At Wednesday's commission meeting, Western District Commissioner Kris Scheperle said he's had more calls about the dog situation and most would be in favor of the county enacting a leash law.
Presiding Commissioner Marc Ellinger and Eastern District Commissioner Jeff Hoelscher said they had heard the opposite.
All three said they would not be in favor of enacting a county wide leash law. Ellinger and Hoelscher said they would prefer a neighborhood petition process, which was done in the Westview Heights area outside western Jefferson City.
Considered one of the most densely populated unincorporated areas in the county, Westview Heights has a leash law approved by the commission in 1990 after 75 percent of homeowners signed a petition to get it.
That law requires dogs in the area to stay on the owner's property or be on a leash and they must have proper identification. If the dog doesn't have that identification, it can be picked up and taken to the Jefferson City Animal Shelter where the owner can pay a fee to claim their animal.
In 2012, commissioners heard from neighbors in the Southwood Hills area who complained about dogs harassing walkers and joggers as well as causing property damage. Commissioners said some of the neighbors did try and get a petition process going, but couldn't get the 75 percent of homeowners needed to get it enacted.
Hoelscher said there are still residents in that area with those concerns, and he has been invited to a meeting this week with residents and state Sen. Mike Kehoe.
At that meeting, Hoelscher said he could bring up how changing state law might help the county on this matter.
Under the current nuisance laws, the nuisances the county can take action against include abandoned vehicles and overgrown yards with weeds on a property. These are considered health hazards.
There is nothing in the nuisance laws about animals, but a change in state law could allow that.
County officials had hoped county zoning might be able to address these issues, but they report legal authority to regulate lies mainly with municipalities and incorporated areas.
For now, the county's animal control officer can only get involved and take action in the unincorporated areas if someone is bitten and the bite breaks the skin.
Commissioners are also frustrated that Prosecutor Mark Richardson has told Sheriff Greg White that he is not willing to prosecute cases involving animal nuisances. White has said if they get word there is a willingness to prosecute, then his office would take action.