§ 6-110. Dangerous animal committee; creation and authority of same.

There is hereby created and established within the St. Martin Parish Government division of animal control and administratively assisted by the animal control manager or his designee, a dangerous animal committee. The panel shall have jurisdiction over hearings requested pursuant to this article.

(1)

The panel shall consist of the parish animal control shelter manager or his designee, parish president or his designee, parish sheriff or his designee, a local veterinarian or his designee, and a prosecutor or designee.

(2)

Functions, powers, and duties . The dangerous animal committee shall serve the following functions, powers, and duties:

a.

To accept admissions to, and to hear and determine contests of dangerous or vicious dog notices under the provisions of this article;

b.

To issue subpoenas to compel the attendance of a person to give testimony at informal hearings and to compel the production of relevant books, papers, and other things;

c.

To adjudicate, when requested, dangerous or vicious dog notices issued under this article;

d.

To compile and maintain complete and accurate records relating to all dispositions of dangerous or vicious dog notices, to record all hearings conducted, and, upon request, to furnish a copy of the recording of any hearing conducted, at the requesting person's expense;

e.

To answer, within a reasonable period of time, all relevant and reasonable inquiries made by the owner regarding the informal hearing and orders issued by the panel;

f.

To determine, at the conclusion of an informal hearing, whether a dog seized pursuant to this article is a dangerous or vicious dog and to make other orders authorized by this article;

g.

In each case the panel determines a dog to be dangerous or vicious, to assess fines, if any, and administrative fees incurred by the parish in adjudication of the case.

(Ord. No. 15-12-1125-OR, 12-15-2015)