Pictured: The council deliberates after hearing testimony during the July 26, 2023 vicious animal designation appeal hearing.
The Carroll City Council upheld a vicious dog designation last (Tuesday) night following a tense, hour-long appeal hearing. The incident occurred on the evening of June 7 in the 1500 block of E. 11th Street near the intersection with Northridge Drive. According to Police Chief Brad Burke, Bear, a French bulldog owned by Jerod and Cindy Menke, left the Menke’s property and bit a dog being walked by Brian and Karen Mentzer’s two daughters. Authorities say the small French bulldog approached the Mentzer dog on the sidewalk in front of a neighboring house and attacked the approximately 10-pound dog. Neither girl was injured during the incident. Karen Mentzer says their dog was treated by a vet the following day.
A nearby resident, Amanda Reisberg, witnessed the incident and corroborated the Carroll Police Department’s report. The Menkes were not home when the incident occurred and had left their pet in the care of a dog sitter. Cindy Menke says that based on their dogsitter’s testimony, the location of the contact is not precisely known.
The Menkes argue their French bulldog was not “attacking” the Mentzer dog; rather, she was only running up to play. Jerod Menke says he believes the process has been unfair from the start.
The Menkes noted Brian Mentzer is a patrol officer with the Carroll Police Department, which is the agency that made the initial vicious animal designation. Burke says he does not consider the individuals involved when making a vicious animal designation. Carroll City Code clearly defines a vicious animal as “Any animal which has attacked a human being or domestic animal one or more times, without provocation while at large.” Ward 3 Councilman Kyle Bauer and Ward 1 Councilman Tom Bordenaro say these hearings are always challenging, but they must abide by the city’s current ordinance.
A motion from Ward 4 Councilwoman Carolyn Siemann to affirm the vicious animal designation passed 3-1. Bauer was the sole nay vote. At-Large Councilwoman JJ Schreck recused herself from participating in the hearing, and Ward 2 Councilwoman Misty Boes was unable to attend. Tuesday’s hearing marks the third this summer, and the council indicated they would be open to potentially amending the ordinance to better respond to relatively minor interactions such as this one. Video from the hearing can be found included with this story on our website.
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