From left are Regina Brackman, D-Ward 3 and City Council president, Tony Dolce, R-Ward 2 and Public Safety Committee chairman, and Hannah Jaroszynski, D-Ward 5, listening as Laura Harden of Jamestown describes a dangerous dog in her neighborhood. P-J photo by Sara Holthouse

A city resident having ongoing issues with what she says is a dangerous dog in her neighborhood has brought her concerns to the City Council.

Laura Harden has been dealing with a dog in her neighborhood that has had a strict dangerous dog order signed by a judge against it. Harden said this dog poses a public safety threat to both her, her dog, and her neighborhood. The order says legally the dog must be contained at all times on the owner’s property.

“This was due to (the dog) severely attacking and almost killing my dog in my fenced in backyard,” Harden said.

She added the city’s dog control officer did not help her fill out a dangerous dog complaint but she was granted one with the help of the deputy chief. The same day that the order was officially granted in court the dog was back in the neighborhood about three hours later. The dog was picked up and taken to Pick of the Litter, but Harden said when she asked to file charges she was refused.

A few days later a copy of the order was sent to Police Chief Scott Forster and the police department, but it was not long before Harden said the court order was breached again.

“The dog traveled an entire mile across the city, jumped my fence and into my property,” Harden said. “JPD responded, they caught the dog, and the owner completely confessed to the officers that the dog was loose.”

Harden said when officers arrived they had no idea the order existed, even though it was sent to the chief the day before. Harden said the dog continuing to be loose can be taken as a state level criminal misdemeanor. Harden said the dog being loose again should not be treated as a minor ten dollar fine nuisance, and that she had also handed letters detailing the situation to city officials, along with a stamped affidavit of non-compliance.

“I have fought this for months,” Harden said. “My dog has had several surgeries and is having more. He doesn’t have a voice but I do. … I don’t hate the dog, I just want the owner held accountable.”

At the public safety committee meeting, Forester said while he cannot go into details of the case because of ongoing litigation, he promised to talk with Harden after the meeting with an update on where everything is with the situation.

“I’m sorry that this has happened to you and that it’s happened up to this point,” Forster said. “Obviously our goal is going to be to rectify it and make sure it gets taken care of.”