MIAMI – The Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners' public safety committee on Wednesday passed a resolution that puts regulations on working guard dogs.
The committee passed the resolution unanimously in its second reading. The ordinance goes before the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners in June.
Commissioner Sally Heyman credited a Local 10 investigation into how guard dogs are treated for prompting the resolution.
"Having it brought to our attention, it was merited to address it by law to clean it up," she said. "You're seeing a great desire in this community to care for the animals that are part of our lives, and that includes not just our pets at home but [also] working animals."
READ: Guard dog resolution |
"We should be defending them -- not abusing them -- or letting anybody abuse them like we've seen in the news lately," said Ileana Riola.
On Feb. 13, the Broward County commission passed a similar ordinance, also citing the Local 10 investigation.
The committee also passed resolutions increasing penalties for cruelty to horses; accepting a report of recommendations for attaining a no-kill animal shelter; and, creating a task force to recommend solutions to stop squatting on private properties, another resolution prompted by a Local 10 investigation.