Following fatal dog attack, Pender County leaders change animal ordinance
While facing the Pender County Board of Commissioners to comment, Richard Catley spoke about his wife Melanie Catley and Feb. 10, the date that would have been their next wedding anniversary.
"However, we won't make that because my wife was killed by dogs in December," Catley said. "She was killed by dogs because she liked to take walks around our neighborhood."
With a change to the animal ordinance on the agenda, Catley spoke about the ordeal of the incident before commissioners made a decision to change it during a Tuesday meeting. The unanimous vote was made six weeks later after the 70-year-old woman was mauled by two dogs in Hampstead on Dec. 8, 2022.
Prior coverage:Hampstead woman dies after dog attack in Pender County
Those changes outline what is adequate outdoor shelter and how a dog is chained up, as well as added measures taken if the ordinance is violated. Those measures include a $50 citation and potential impoundment of an animal.
Officials from the Pender County Sheriff's Office said she was walking in her neighbor's backyard on Holiday Drive. She died several days later after the incident about half a mile away from the Catley house. During the public comment section, Catley said the dogs were chained up between a driveway and the front door.
"My wife was a frequent visitor to the people who live at that house," he said. "For some reason on the 8th, the dogs attacked her. She was alive when EMS got to her. She got to the hospital and never regained consciousness, and we had to prepare for hospice on the 11th, but she never made it out of the ICU (intensive care unit)."
Catley continued and said most animal control authorities don't allow dogs to be staked or chained up, leaving the dog to have a feeling of vulnerability with a feeling of not having protection. He added the result is a vicious dog.
"Ordinances in most of the world, the civilized world, don't allow you to chain up dogs," he said. "In very many countries, including the United States, you can get charged with animal cruelty for doing so."
He added that people in the area are having problems with loose dogs attacking them and pets.
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"It needs to change," he said. "If it's not changed in the animal ordinance, then that's a big, big mistake."
After hearing concerns, commissioners approved the changes. Carolyn Moser, director of Health and Human Services, said a draft for it was being finalized right before the COVID pandemic hit because of concerns. Moser presented the request with Sheriff Alan W. Cutler.
"Changes are effective immediately," Moser stated. "We see this as a great educational opportunity to increase animal welfare awareness to our residents with pets."
According to the ordinance regarding animals, its purpose is to protect the public health, safety and welfare of the residents of the county from dangerous animals. It also says the goal is to prevent cruelty to animals, provide shelter, and to protect animals and the public from the threat of rabies.
Here are the changes:
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Reporter Chase Jordan can be reached at cjjordan@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: After fatal dog attack, Pender County leaders change animal ordinance
