A Brush with History - City of Coral Springs

Garcia, worked nearby.
When he saw his buddy
across the street, Freckles, a
Shih Tzu, strolled over only
to be pounced on by two
bull terriers. Garcia ran over
to help his pup and was
able to loosen their grip,
but Freckles was already
wounded. Mancini talks to the owners of the terriers and tells
them they will be fined $250 for the dog bites, but Garcia
is also charged $50 for not having Freckles on a leash. The
neighbors discuss the situation and the owner of the terriers
also agrees to pay for Freckles’ hospital bills.
“A big issue right now is dog bite prevention both to
humans and other dogs,” Mancini said. Contrary to popular
belief, 60 percent of bites are to family members, not
strangers.
When Mancini returns to the office, he finds Gabby, the
Unit’s black cat, asleep on his co-workers desk. The cat has
been with them since the day after Hurricane Wilma hit.
Gabby was found under a shed, and it took weeks for him to
recover. He’s been there ever since.
“It’s hard sometimes because you fall in love with these
animals and you just want them to find a good home,”
Mancini said. He once got so attached to a pup, he took it
home.
By this time, the raccoon’s drugs have worn off, and it can
be released back into the wild. Later, Mancini takes the time
to type up the report for the dog bite and enters it into the
department’s tracking system.
While Mancini types up the report, Officer Freed receives
some great news. A bull terrier that was abandoned after
giving birth to
pups now has
a bright future
ahead of her.
After spending
a couple of
days in the
Unit, she was
rescued by Bull
Terrier Rescue
of Florida, who
took her in,
spayed her and
found her a new
home in Ocala.
Officer Freed is dedicated to the cause and works diligently
to find rescue groups for abandoned dogs.
“We try our best to find a rescue group for these pets
because if not, they’ll get sent to the Broward Animal Control
where they are put down after five days,” Freed said. “We try to
avoid that as much as possible.”
Dog bite prevention
Residents can take the following precautions to prevent
dogs from attacking:
• Teach your children how to deal with animals and do not
let them near dogs while they are eating.
• Never scream and run.
• Remain motionless, hands at your sides, and avoid eye
contact with the dog.
• Once the dog loses interest in you, slowly back away until
he is out of sight.
• If the dog does attack, "feed" him your jacket, purse,
bicycle, or anything that you can put between yourself and
the dog.
• If you fall or are knocked to the ground, curl into a ball
with your hands over your ears and remain motionless.
To prevent your dog from biting, it’s important to socialize
your dog with as many people as possible and introduce him
to different situations so that he doesn’t become frightened.
If you’ve been bitten, call the Police non-emergency line at
954-344-1800 or the Humane Office at 954-346-4422, or in an
emergency, dial 911.
Clean up after your pets
Pet owners can be fined for breaking any of the City’s
codes dealing with pets. According to code 4-5 (b), it is illegal
for any person who owns or has control of any animal to let
the animal excrete on any area other than those designed
for that purpose. It is also illegal for them to defecate on any
private property not belonging to the owner of the animal.
Owners in charge of the animals can be fined up to $250
unless they have the tools to remove the feces immediately
from these locations. Different fines relating to animal
excrement include:
• Animal excrement (except in City Parks), $125
• Excrement in City park, $75
• No tool for removal (pooper scoopers, plastic bags), $125
• No tool for removal in a City park, $75
• Inappropriate disposal, $75
Dogs are not allowed in City parks, except for within the
fenced areas of the Dr. Steven G. Paul Dog Park in Sportsplex.
The fine for bringing a dog into a City park is $75.
These code and regulations are here to keep the City clean
and healthy. Animal excrement, including dog droppings,
attracts flies, spreads disease and contributes significant
pollution to the City’s waterways. If you have any questions,
call the Humane Unit at 954-346-4422.
Lost your pet?
Photos of animals found in the City of Coral Springs are
posted at coralsprings.org/lostpets, along with details of
where the animal was found. Anyone recognizing a lost pet
is asked to call the Humane Unit at 954-346-4422. Remember
to always keep your pet on a leash when outdoors.
Watch CityTV Channel 25 Spring 2007 • Coral Springs •
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