Woman Upset To Find Cow Near Her Clothesline

[matcom]

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DUGGER -- A ban on keeping hoofed-animals within the town limits was the topic of a special public meeting of the Dugger Town Council on Tuesday night.

Several Dugger residents, who live near Bob Russell on Main Street, attended the meeting to express their concerns about Russell keeping a calf within his property.

"I walked out in my yard and there was a cow by my clothesline. There is a daycare center with small children across the street from me. What if that cow gets spooked, charges or hurts those kids? I chose to live in town, not out by a farm," explained Dugger resident Cindy Lovelace.

Russell, along with his attorney Mark Reed, challenged the council on a $3,000 fine, which resulted from a $1,000 per day fine that was imposed with the October 2004 ordinance.

"Town Marshal Dave Heaton hand-delivered a letter. We then decided to have a letter sent certified mail on Dec. 17, 2004, which was signed for on Dec. 20. There is a 30-day grace period to get rid of the animal and that has all passed," explained council president Bill Pirtle.

Russell argued the calf was on the property when the ordinance was passed, but Pirtle and other neighbors of Russell disputed this statement.

"I would like to see the invoice from when the calf was purchased. You came into this office and talked with me after the ordinance was passed asking if it took 30 days to come in effect and that you had not yet purchased the calf," Pirtle stated. "There is no grandfather clause on this ordinance anyway."

http://www.dailycitizen.com/articles/2005/01/26/news/dugger.txt