The city of West Lake Hills reviewed its dog ordinance March 22 after a recent incident in which a resident was bit by a dog, Mayor Linda Anthony said.

“[The animal bite] prompted some conversation about what the city’s ordinance does and doesn’t do,” she said.

City Administrator Robert Wood said, based on the city’s ordinance, a dog can be classified as a barking dog, a mischievous dog or a dangerous dog.  A mischievous dog is one that has damaged property, and a dangerous dog is one that has bit a person or other dog and has been deemed dangerous by the city’s animal control authority.

If a dog bite breaks the skin, Police Chief Scott Gerdes said the dog must be quarantined and evaluated for 10 days.  After an evaluation, staff determines whether the dog is dangerous.

According to Gerdes, if a dog is registered as dangerous:

• The dog is required to wear a large red dog tag with the word “dangerous” printed on it;

• The owners must take out a $100,000 insurance policy;

• The dog must be leashed or kept in an enclosure when not inside; and

• If any of the above criteria are violated, the city could ask for a court order to put the dog down.

Owners can contest the dangerous designation by appealing it at municipal court in front of a judge, who can exonerate the dog of the charges, he said. The designation can also be removed over time for good behavior.

In regards to barking dog complaints, he said in the past the police department has been accommodating in giving verbal warnings to owners before issuing citations or writing a report. However, through May, West Lake Hills officers will be more diligent in handing out citations, especially for repeat offenders, he said.

Rollingwood City Council on March 6 adjusted its rules for off-leash dog use at the city’s softball fields.

Previously, dog owners could use all three ball fields as an off-leash area, but after action by City Council, only Field Three will be an official dog field.

The Western Hills Softball Association invested $6,000 earlier this year into renovating Field One and restoring its grass for the upcoming softball season, Rollingwood Park Commission Chair Toni Hudson said. Improvements for Field Two are anticipated in the future, he said.

In the past, dogs have damaged the fields, Hudson said.