Tougher dog laws passed

Kootenai County dog owners have more cause to keep their canines under control now that the county has passed a tougher animal-control ordinance.

Under the law, expected to take effect this week, authorities may enter private property and confiscate animals being kept illegally or unsafely, and they will have more discretion in dealing with vicious dogs.

Kootenai County animal-control officer Karen Williams said the tighter ordinance closes several loopholes that have obstructed authorities from implementing animal-control requirements.

“The revised ordinance allows us to be able to enforce the (animal-control) law,” Williams said.

One of the changes concerns illegal kennels, defined as operations without licenses but with more than the five dogs permitted to be housed by Kootenai County residents.

The new regulation gives authorities permission to immediately impound illegally kept dogs.

Behind that change is the case of an Athol man accused of keeping an “illegal kennel” with 19 dogs, Williams said.

The man, Frank Wall, lost his kennel license more than a year ago but has refused to get rid of any of his dogs, which he says he is training as service animals.

Wall’s neighbors repeatedly have complained about the dogs’ excessive barking and howling.

Wall is facing two misdemeanor charges: running an illegal kennel and disturbing the peace.

The matter will be heard in Kootenai County District Court, but no date has been set for a trial.

Meanwhile, the county will take a wait-and-see stance in the Wall case.

“It’s before the courts at this time,” said Kootenai County Commissioner Rick Currie. “We don’t want to jeopardize the legal proceedings.”

Commissioner Rich Piazza said, “We don’t want to overstep our boundaries there. When that’s done, we can address it in the future.”

In a related discussion, Currie said that despite recent concerns about pit bulls and other potentially dangerous breeds, the revised ordinance doesn’t outlaw any breed within the county.