Arlington digs into dangerous dog law

After Marnie the boxer ultimately lost her front leg after a pit bull attack, the Arlington City Council has revisited its “dangerous animal” regulations.

Though state law currently protects only humans from dangerous dogs, Fort Worth and some other cities have included protections for animals in their ordinances.

The Arlington City Council decided to err on the side of caution. It sent the issue to a committee, the Animal Services Center Advisory Board.

The board includes nine members and is mandated by state law. It has been asked to meet earlier than its scheduled April meeting to discuss the topic.

Council members want more time devoted to the decision. In fact, they made short work of it in their Tuesday meeting.

Although it’s promising that the council wants more time spent on researching the subject, the city should also broaden the discussion.

During this research period, the committee should monitor closely the number of calls about dangerous dogs attacking animals and how the city responds to the complaints.

The committee should also get varied input from pro-animal activists and the owners of animal-attack victims.

This will help provide the best protection for pets.

This story was originally published February 24, 2016 at 5:50 PM with the headline "Arlington digs into dangerous dog law."