Rolling Meadows looks at new laws to curb vicious dogs

A Boston terrier buried its teeth in Marylou Grasso's arm, hanging from her flesh.

"I remember it literally hanging by my arm," the Rolling Meadows resident said. "It just missed my tendons."

Her poodle mix Taffy also suffered an attack in the June incident with two Boston terriers who live at the same Rolling Meadows home, according to police.

Rolling Meadows Police Chief Steven Williams cited this attack as he asked aldermen Tuesday night to give his department more power in trying to control dogs that attack.

Police now are allowed to shoot and kill a dog that is an imminent danger. "But that doesn't let me protect the community," Williams said.

Ideas include giving police the power to go on a person's property to seize a vicious dog. After the dog was seized, the police could take the owner to court to argue the person has been negligent. The owner would have to get the court's OK to get their dog back, under that plan.

Aldermen plan to look further at the ideas. Officials made no decisions Tuesday night.

One proposal would create a license to penalize owners of dogs who have created a nuisance. The fee could be as high as $1,000 a year, the chief said.

City officials also might consider increasing city dog license fees from $3 to $20, or making microchips mandatory.

Microchips would allow officers to identify the dog, and to check whether the animal has had past run-ins with police, Williams said.

One Rolling Meadows police officer spoke in favor of added powers to control dogs that attack.

Officer Dave Carlson, who lives in the city, said he also was attacked by the same two Boston terriers that Grasso described as he walked with his family.

"I was on my knees fighting these dogs off," Carlson said.

The owners of the dogs are described as two elderly women.

Barb Lusk, 2nd Ward alderman, said she would back added penalties for owners of nuisance dogs since she has to think about residents who no longer feel safe in their own community.

Glenn Adams, who represents the 5th Ward, questioned how police would enforce new laws aimed at stopping dangerous dogs.