LYONS TOWN COUNCILMAN BREAKS NUMEROUS ANIMAL LAWS BY DUMPING DOGS IN COUNTRYSIDE

Greene County Daily World: Local News: Stray woes trouble Lyons Town Council (03/16/10)

A slew of stray dogs are posing a pressing pooch problem for Lyons, with officials concerned at the rates the Greene County Humane Society would charge per animal to take them in.
"Our little grandkids are scared to death," Michael Bruner said, while his wife Joleen noted their small dog had been attacked by a larger stray.
Now, town officials are pondering the most humane way to deal with the hounds, though some residents threaten to shoot them.
Town Board member Daniel Grant said Tuesday he'd collected about five strays and attempted to deliver them to the humane society.
Grant noted the town has a stray ordinance, but can do little because state statutes undercut what can be done, given the humane society must charge to take in the dogs.
He balked when he learned what the cost would be from the society.
"I drove them down a county road and turned them loose," Grant said. "They wanted $25 a shot."
One angry resident, however, said another sort of shot awaits any dogs who strays into his yard.
Ed Wright said he intends to shoot stray dogs who threaten him, adding he'd readied to gun down a yowling cat recently which troubled him outside his window.
"By the time I had gotten my shoes on and gotten the gun, it was gone," he said. "The best response is a single shotgun shell. I'm not kidding."
While Indiana law does allow threatening stray animals to be put down, state law also considers animal cruelty, torture and neglect crimes.
Town Board President Scott Powers and Kimberly Nickless both called for non-violent solutions to the stray problems.
"I'm not condoning shooting somebody else's dog," Nickless said.
Powers agreed, adding "The best solution is to just take the dogs to the humane society and pay the $25. You don't want to take them out on some country road. They might get lost and starve." Also Tuesday, Powers raised the question of whether the Lyons Fire Department should accompany emergency medical technicians on every run.
Town officials agree the firefighters can prove helpful, especially since they've undergone CPR training recently and can be used to help lift those in need when first to the scene.
However, Powers said some fire department volunteers had raised concerns about accompanying emergency runs.
"If there's nothing for you to do on a run, then we shouldn't have a bunch of guys standing around," Powers told Lonnie Emmons, the sole firefighter present at Tuesday's meeting.
"I want it understood that this has nothing to do with whether we are paying the fire department on these. We will send you on those runs if the fire department decides they are essential."
The town board referred the question to the fire department, who will discuss it and report back later this year.
In other business:
* Town clerk-treasurer Kim Flynn announced the town is seeking applications to compete for grants which will allow homeowners to improve their properties. The town must receive applications through the water office by the end of the month. About 30 homes have previously qualified, she said.
* The town will also seek bids for mosquito control. Thus far, only City Pest Control, which handled fogging for the town last year, has bid on the work.
* The town awarded a contract for pest control work at town buildings to Haseman Pest Control, which bid $110 per quarter. Johnny Howell, LLC, had also competed for the work, bid $215 per quarter.
* Flynn told the town board that she believes she can find $42,000 to cover cost overruns on the town ditch projects, drawing money from various funds including the town's water operating budget, its motor vehicle and highway budget, and savings from sewage costs.
* Flynn also won permission from the board to purchase a new town seal to stamp official documents, explaining hers is worn and would cost $110 to repair, but only $40 to replace.
* Flynn also sought input from the town to "create a brand -- like when you think of McDonald's, you think of the Golden Arches" to help promote Lyons, along with a website.
"The best I could think of is lions, when we talk about Lyons," she said, though town board members noted the town's former sporting teams were the Braves, and White River Valley is currently the Wolverines.
Nickless and Grant noted some web designers in college and high school have done work for class credit, while Flynn said she would seek community input at the Strawberry Festival.
© Copyright 2010 Greene County Daily World. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Comments
Note: The nature of the Internet makes it impractical for our staff to review every comment. If you feel that a comment is offensive, please Login or Create an account first, and then you will be able to flag a comment as objectionable. Please also note that those who post comments on gcdailyworld.com may do so using a screen name, which may or may not reflect a website user's actual name. Readers should be careful not to assign comments to real people who may have names similar to screen names. Refrain from obscenity in your comments, and to keep discussions civil, don't say anything in a way your grandmother would be ashamed to read.

There are humane ways to "solve" the stray dog and cat problem and it's not dumping them on a
lonely road. That's just moving the problem and
getting out of sight maybe but citizens cannot
resort to such practices. We are supposed to be a civilized society. Pay the $25.00 and be a part of the solution and not a part of the problem.
I'm speaking from experience. You won't regret
doing the right thing even if it is an inconvenience. For the money, Just skip a couple of meals at the local fast food and you'll feel good about helping the animals.
helping with this problem.
-- Posted by Carnac on Tue, Mar 16, 2010, at 10:52 PM

You have to pay the animal shelter to take a stray that isn't even your dog... How does that make any sense???
-- Posted by citizen474 on Wed, Mar 17, 2010, at 2:27 AM

Remember that 25.00 when the towns are all omitting help to the shelter from their budgets. No one whats to pay for it but everyone wants to use it or needs it at some point, then it becomes important to them. The only way things will improve is educate the people to spay/neuter their pets and don't get a pet unless you can handle the responsibility financially. They cost money just like kids! They rely on their owners to do the right thing by them. Humane Society should also make sure they are responsibly adopting their animals out. Used to be they would do it just to get it out the door. I hope that has changed.
-- Posted by peanut338 on Wed, Mar 17, 2010, at 3:15 AM

Let's not think about the people that live in the country. There are stray dogs dumped all of the time on us. So you are just taking the problems that you are having in town and dumping them on us in the country. I have children and I don't appreciate that. I don't want a stray dog coming in my yard and biting them. So now, I will know who to look for, for so kindly dumping the strays on us. I can send Mr. Grant the bills for any medical bills we incur for stray dogs attacking.
-- Posted by daisylover on Wed, Mar 17, 2010, at 6:56 AM

Mr Grant, Don't dump your problems on us, who are in the country, we get enough of them dumped out here the way it is! You must not want your position next term huh? That is just pathetic! To admit that you did this on record!!! Unbelievable!! What a hero... remember you are setting examples for children! Do you want them to grow up and collect dogs and take them out to the country to dump? What a moron
-- Posted by just my opinion 3 on Wed, Mar 17, 2010, at 9:56 AM

First we need to think about the animal is it their fault they have owner's who dont care enough about them that they just turn them loose to bite, get hit exc..its not the animals fault, if he or she is running loose.chances are they are lookin for food,water,affection. so the owner is the one who you need to take it out on, but then would you go out an shot the owner,?
I totatly agree thou they do NOT need to be running loose, i belive there is a leash law,an as far as dumping them off in the country try finding the owner maybe they got loose on accident,
-- Posted by fishhead on Wed, Mar 17, 2010, at 1:00 PM

If I would have posted on here, that I took five animals and dropped them off on a country road, I would be in trouble for "dumping" and "mistreatment" of an animal.....How can that man just get away with dumping that many dogs in the country? I am sure they will wander to "someones house" and now they will be their problem? Way to go Lyons!! And beware little towns near by, your town may be the next dump site instead of a county road!!!!!!!!!!
-- Posted by teenythomp on Wed, Mar 17, 2010, at 1:03 PM

Snake Eyes would you please point me to the community in the county that is perfect and maybe we all could use that community as a model. For future reference please dont judge the whole town on one mans stupid actions.
-- Posted by nutzz6934 on Wed, Mar 17, 2010, at 4:43 PM

It's not just stray dogs that are a problem in Lyons. It's also people that don't keep an eye on their dogs and let them run freely all over town. We have a lot of dogs running and hanging out in our yard, including 4 HUGE German Shepherds that run in a pack and sit in our yard. I have mentioned this to the Lyons police officer and the owners of these dogs, and still they run freely around town and in our yard. If these dogs interupt my family enjoying the outdoors this summer, threaten my 2 year old, 11 year old, my wife or myself, they will be taken care of by myself. I will not feel threatened in my own yard by someone else's dogs or anything else for that matter. If no one else will take care of this problem, I will have no choice but to put these dogs down myself. So, keep your dogs OUT of my yard.
-- Posted by nj8782 on Wed, Mar 17, 2010, at 5:57 PM

I didnt mean to offend you there nutzz. Its the people who run your town from the top down that gives you guys a bad name in other parts of the county. Maybe you could be a role model for them.
-- Posted by Snake Eyes on Wed, Mar 17, 2010, at 6:08 PM

Why has my first comment not been posted?
-- Posted by nj8782 on Wed, Mar 17, 2010, at 8:55 PM

Never mind!!!
-- Posted by nj8782 on Wed, Mar 17, 2010, at 8:56 PM

Mr. Grant,
You want to come out here and pick YOUR dogs up that you dumped?
I have enough problems with slobs throwing trash out on my property let alone being a dump site for strays.
Or how about this, I gather up all the strays I find & dump them at YOUR house!!
-- Posted by hunter_47443 on Wed, Mar 17, 2010, at 9:10 PM

I dont tend to disagree with you snake eyes but it is hard to get a concrete pillar to move if oyu know what I mean
-- Posted by nutzz6934 on Wed, Mar 17, 2010, at 9:57 PM

I say Dissmiss Mr Grant of his duties on the town council board!!! What he did was illegal, and he is a representative of Lyons. This makes it look as if "all" of Lyons is behind what he did by not dismissing him of his duties. He also should be charged with animal neglect! This affected others within our county. He contributed to the problem.
-- Posted by just my opinion 3 on Thu, Mar 18, 2010, at 9:30 AM

The gchs would like to thank the responders for not laying this incident on the shelter. The readers should also know that Mr. Grant came to the shelter posing as an adopter. Conversation led to shelter fees regarding animal in-take whereby he was informed that owned or harbored adult animals, were in fact $25 to surrender. He did not mention that he had collected 4 or 5 strays and wanted to bring them in.
While we do not engage in political matters it is obvious that Mr. Grant wanted this issue to receive public attention and therefore public outcry. It is a shame he used his visit to the shelter for mere sensationalism. We all know animal dumping is a problem and problems take money to fix. Until the community is willing to be taxed for this problem, it will continue to exist. We can preach responsible pet ownership here, but here we are preaching to the choir.
-- Posted by gchs on Thu, Mar 18, 2010, at 11:01 AM

What you call strays, I call "target practice".
-- Posted by James30096 on Thu, Mar 18, 2010, at 11:47 AM

Hello Lyons -
If you have a pet, it is YOUR pet, not MINE !
So keep it at YOUR house, not MY house.
The pet can dump its own waste in YOUR yard, not
MY yard for me to step in or run the lawnmower thru. Enough said.
By the way, Mr. Grant had the dogs in his truck with him when he went to the Linton shelter.
-- Posted by Trink on Fri, Mar 19, 2010, at 7:28 PM

Oh, that's classy James. Really.
-- Posted by Arcana on Sat, Mar 20, 2010, at 5:44 PM

Trink, I live in the country, the last thing that should have been done in this situation is to have dumped them in the country, for us to take care of. We have dogs dumped out here all the time! Did you ever think of finding the dogs a home? Just because you stepped in dog waste doesn't give you the right to dump them on us!
-- Posted by just my opinion 3 on Mon, Mar 22, 2010, at 6:52 PM

Just my opinion 3, I agree with you, dogs should not be dumped in the country. I do think Mr. Grant would have left them at the shelter if the $25 fee per dog was not so high. The town of Lyons pays a considerable amount to Linton for animal control in Lyons - - what for ?
I have a feeling that will stop.
-- Posted by Trink on Tue, Mar 23, 2010, at 1:14 AM

If this would have been approached in a different manner rather than deceitfully, I just imagine you would have learned that the fee is a bag of dog food, per dog at least the last time we took a stray out there it was.
Why would you think the Town of Lyons should stop paying them? Were they called? Were they notified of the problem? communication!!!
-- Posted by just my opinion 3 on Tue, Mar 23, 2010, at 10:41 AM

Quote from Trink "I do think Mr. Grant would have left them at the shelter if the $25 fee per dog was not so high."
So ... is that what this is all about the price that they charge? Do you realize how much dog food is sir??? because of all the stray's I pay nearly $20 a week simply over stupidity like this! I will not let them starve! It sounds as though you justify what he did because of the price, what about the $80 dollars a month I pay? you don't see me taking them someplace else! But I just might now! Sounds like Mr Grant needs a taste of his own medicine!
I try to find them a home. please act just simply act like you have a brain even if you don't....
-- Posted by just my opinion 3 on Tue, Mar 23, 2010, at 2:12 PM

Yes, they were called the prior week, by two different households and were told there was nothing they could do. I do not think dogs should be dumped in the country! If you want to spend your money feeding strays - go to it. Maybe the "stupidity" to quote you, is between your brain and your typing fingers. I will not fuss with you - - this is my final post. My best to you and yours.
-- Posted by Trink on Wed, Mar 24, 2010, at 12:16 AM

Wow Trink! or should I say Mr Grant!!!
-- Posted by elynn66 on Wed, Mar 24, 2010, at 5:44 PM

oh please! Don't try to make this about the price! Grant admitted himself that he dumped the dogs on a lonely country road.
By the sound of this, his intent was to starve the poor defenceless puppies to death! He don't want anyone to feed them, He would rather coyote's take care of his "problem". He wants them to starve and have a horrid death scrapping for any food they can get! Wheather Trink is Mr Grant or not, I don't really think so... but....
Trink is just as bad, this person obviously don't have any humanity either, trink wants them to starve also not wanting anyone to feed them, now this is just my observation in reading the posts of course.
what lo-lifes! and we call him a city councilman!
-- Posted by whatsupingreenecounty on Wed, Mar 24, 2010, at 9:53 PM

Well Trink, maybe I do think between my brain and my typing fingers but obviously I have alittle more humanity than you do. I could never let them starve, I feed my own dogs and cannot let these poor defenseless animals starve, sorry I guess that makes me bad, huh???
-- Posted by just my opinion 3 on Wed, Mar 24, 2010, at 10:05 PM

My family suffered a tremendous loss on Wednesday. Our dog Sugar was brutally murdered by a man who blatently admits to killing multiple dogs in the last 2 years, one of which he ATTEMPTED to kill with a bow and arrow. The poor little helpless animal survived, but only after the owners paying a surplus of vet bills. Our Sugar was 9 months old. We loved our pet. She got out while we were taking my 16 month old to the park. On our way back we saw the man and his son walking away form Sugar with a snow shovel. The dog had a punctured lung and died in my husband's arms. With my 16 month old in the car, watching, horrified as he cried out to God to save our puppy. But the biggest smack in the face is not that the man can walk around freely after committing such an offense, not that he offered no remorse or apology, not that he LIED of his reasons for killing these defenseless pets, but that the wonderful officer of this town has turned his head to this man's crimes for 2 YEARS!!! We just moved here in January, and we respected everyone in this town until this happened. When the victims of a crime cannot go to law enforcement, where is the justice in that?? I understand the leash law or whatever, but it was an ACCIDENT!!! No one in this community has ever seen a violent bone in my dog's body, and she has played and frolicked with much of the population's dogs and children and never harmed ONE!! Loved by all who are here, and beaten by a murderer in cold blood. Please, if you have it in your heart, do NOT let these crimes go unnoticed. She was our family. I wouldn't harm your children, your mothers, fathers, grandparents, or even your pets. What gives this man the right to make mine suffer and leave her to bake in the hot sun while she choked and suffocated in her own blood. WHO THE F*** DECIDED THAT THIS IS JUSTICE! I WANT ANSWERS AND I WANT MY FAMILY TO NOT HAVE TO SUFFER THIS PUNISHMENT!! I WON'T STAND FOR THIS AND IF YOU HAVE ANY MORALS Y'ALL WON'T EITHER! LYONS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A SAFE PLACE! PLEASE, LET'S TURN IT BACK TO THAT!
-- Posted by Wronged on Fri, Apr 16, 2010, at 12:08 AM
Respond to this story