ST. LANDRY PARISH — Prairie Ronde La. — A years long loose dog problem in a Prairie Ronde neighborhood is raising questions about which agency is responsible for enforcing animal control laws in St. Landry Parish.
Vinnie Savoy, a homeowner said his family dog, Bam, was killed by a pack of dogs years ago. He says the issue has grown worse in recent months, with loose dogs tearing through yards and knocking over trash cans.
“That was our family dog,” he said in a phone interview.
“He was trying to protect my wife, and the other dogs broke his back.”
Parish government’s position
St. Landry Parish President Jessie Bellard said Chapter 8 of the parish ordinance outlines animal control enforcement. The ordinance states that POST-certified law enforcement officers must investigate crimes or violations involving animals.
“Our animal control officers take complaints,” Bellard said. “But the actual law enforcement of the ordinance is done by a law enforcement agency.”
Because parish animal control officers are not POST-certified, Bellard said they cannot enforce misdemeanor violations. He said the sheriff’s office has declined to take those cases, which has prompted the parish to pursue changes to the ordinance.
“Since the sheriff doesn’t want to work the misdemeanor side, we’re going to change it to a civil citation,” Bellard said. “It will be handled through our civil process.”
Sheriff’s office response
St. Landry Parish Sheriff Bobby Guidroz disagreed with Bellard’s interpretation of the ordinance. He said the sheriff’s office handles animal cruelty and abuse cases, but roaming-dog complaints are not something his department is staffed to address across the parish’s 900 square miles.
“A loose dog is not a priority for a sheriff’s deputy right now,” Guidroz said. He added that homeowners have the right to protect themselves or their animals if a dog is posing a threat.
As for Savoy, he hopes something can change.
“This is something we have been dealing with for years.” Savoy expressed.
Savoy says since voicing his concerns, the parish has since come out and placed traps near his home to capture the animals.
