Bunkie 'vicious dog' controversy resolved

A controversy over an apparent violation of Bunkie's "vicious dog" ordinance has been resolved, Mayor Bruce Coulon said.

Coulon said he reviewed all facts in the case and instructed the dog owner that she had to erect an 8-foot fence around her entire backyard to comply with the city's ordinance. She has done that, the mayor added.

COULON CRITICIZED

Coulon had been criticized for allowing this apparent violation of the ordinance by a white woman, but recently enforcing it in two cases involving African Americans.

The incidents have been cited as reasons why a group of citizens are seeking to recall Coulon. The mayor said he enforces the ordinance fairly and race is not a factor in his decisions.

"If they (critics) can provide me with a name of the men (dog owners), then I can tell them what happened and why," Coulon said. He noted that one recent case, which may or may not be one of those cited by the critics, involved a dog owner who was given a chance to retain the dogs while they got a pen for the animals.

"The dogs got out and snapped at someone," Coulon said. "The dog owner called me and asked me to pick the dogs up because they couldn't handle them anymore."

Coulon said he has the responsibility of investigating the dog complaints and taking the action he deems appropriate.

ANOTHER CASE

In another dog-related complaint noted by the recall group, Police Chief Scott Ferguson said an allegation that one of his police officers ticketed a man for pepper-spraying a dog that was chasing him was false.

The group also seeks to recall Ferguson.

"That doesn't make any sense," Ferguson said. "What really happened was that one of my officers was called to the scene and when he got there the dog tried to bite the officer. The officer pepper-sprayed the dog and gave the dog's owner a ticket."

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