By Brian Livingston / blivingston@themeridianstar.com
The Meridian Star
MERIDIAN —
On the upper lake of Bonita Lakes Recreation Park, two walkers stride alongside the clear blue-green water that glimmers in the late afternoon sunshine.
In a cleared out area in the bend of the road, pine trees are cordoned off with police crime scene tape. But there really isn't any indication a crime has been committed — not yet anyway.
Instead, there is a metal cage with cans of dog food pushed to the back and a water bowl just inside the opening, which gapes toward the water.
A sign on the pylons ringing the area pretty much say it all.
"Attention! Do not feed stray dogs! By order of Animal Control."
A copy of a Meridian Police Department inter-departmental email by MPD Administrative Capt. Rick McCary, and obtained by the Meridian Star, was sent to all patrol and investigative personnel Thursday advising them of the trap at the park. In the email, McCary says the cage has been placed at the park to catch some dogs that have been seen in the area.
"Some good citizens of Meridian are feeding the dogs near the trap and that is in violation of city codes," McCary says in the email. "If anyone is caught feeding or leaving food near the trap then please make an arrest."
The email ends with McCary advising his officers to contact Meridian City Animal Control officers concerning the specific city codes in which these actions pertain.
Needless to say, responses on the Star Facebook website were instantaneous.
"AAAWW that is so sad to read," said Nancy Price. "I'm one of those people who will feed a stray animal.. Me & my husband have taken in two stray puppies that came up to our house."
Donna Mason Brown wrote, "What the heck is going on in our world and our community? This is just wrong on so many levels.."
Then again, there were those people who could see the other side of the coin — and issue.
"I bet all you whining people would shut up real quick if a stray dog that somebody had been feeding bit your child's hand off! said Alicia Purvis-schrock. "Good grief, find something else to whine about other than laws and people doing their jobs!"
McCary said the email was sent just as a reminder to officers so they would know what was going on at the park. He said in no way was this a departmental mandate or a change in policy regarding all the duties of an officer in enforcing the law.
"If someone thinks we are pulling patrolmen off the streets just to try and catch someone feeding these dogs at the park then they are badly mistaken," said McCary. "We are not posting a three-man surveillance team out there just for that. That would be absurd."
McCary said the reasoning behind the email was to inform officer animal control officers had placed the cage at the park. McCary said there have been complaints by users of the park that a couple of dogs approached them and growled. He said he has no knowledge of anyone being attacked. Just that the dogs had become a nuisance.
Pierce Steele, who is the groundskeeper manager at Bonita Lakes said the last time an attack actually occurred was about five years ago. He said it involved a small pack of dogs that brought down a cyclist. The cyclist, said Steele, was able to fend off the dogs and escape with some scratches. Since then, Pierce said there have been instances of dogs running free in the park but they have always been captured by animal control officers.
Steele said the trap put out at the park now is an attempt to catch two adult dogs whose puppies have already been taken by animal control officers.
According to Section 6-2-a. it is unlawful to interfere with the duties of a police officer or animal control officer during the course of their duties.
"The police officer enforces all laws," said McCary. "And part of the responsibilities of the animal control officer is to catch strays. Feeding the strays to prevent them from being captured is interfering with their duties."
Freddie Collins, who works with the Meridian City Animal Control, said if an animal control officer catches someone interfering with their job that person will be ticketed. He said the amount of the fine was about $100. Collins also said if a police officer catches someone, in this case feeding dogs, then they will be arrested and brought to the police department for further legal actions/bonding.
McCary, who as administrative captain of the MPD is also the supervisor over animal control, said these animals are caught for a good reason. He said even though they haven't attacked anyone yet, the chance is still there that they will. McCary said those who feed the dogs in an attempt to keep them out of the cage are not doing the dogs any good.
"We are trying to humanely capture these two dogs and reunite them with their puppies," said McCary. "Then we can try and find out who the owner is or put them up for adoption to a good home."
In Section 6-22-a of the Meridian code, officials have the authority to seize an unrestrained dog or an animal constituting a public nuisance and shall be taken by the police or animal control officers and impounded in an enclosure or animal shelter kept for that purpose, to be provided and maintained by the city, and there confined in a humane manner. Such an animal shall be kept for at least five (5) days unless sooner claimed by the owner; impounded dogs and cats not suffering from an injury or infectious disease shall be kept for not less than five (5) working days.
McCary said in no way are officers neglecting any other crimes just to try and catch people feeding these dogs. He simply said, "It is part of our job to enforce all laws."
