DETROIT – The City of Detroit is another step closer to cracking down on dangerous dogs.
NEW: City Council to vote on stricter dog ordinance after kids mauled to death
On Monday morning a committee approved ordinance changes that now go before the full city council. The changes come after the deaths of two Detroit children, Emma Hernandez and Xavier Strickland who were both killed by dogs.
There was once opposition to the changes, now there is none.
Detroit City Council President Brenda Jones didn’t waste time Monday. She highlighted the fact that the changes were influenced by the children’s deaths.
Hernandez, 9, was mauled by a pit bull in August of 2019 while riding a bike. Strickland was mauled by dogs in 2015. At the time he was only 4 years old.
One of the ordinance changes empowers animal control officers to follow up with owners.
When the changes were first discussed, there was talk about changing the number of animals allowed in a home which prompted hesitation.
Those changes will not happen and the number stays at four animals each household.