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PAYSON, Utah (AP) -- Police Chief Dee Rowland wants the City Council to repeal its cat-leashing and dog-muzzling laws on the grounds the former is a pain to enforce and the latter may not be humane.
The council is expected to vote on the changes Wednesday.
Rowland requested the change said the cat-leash law is "impossible to enforce" and takes time and resources away from other priorities.
And the law that requires kennel owners to "muzzle or otherwise control" their dogs to reduce noise could put the dogs at risk during hot weather, he said.
Jennifer Clayton, director of the Salt Lake City-based Utah Animal Advocacy Foundation, said the practice of muzzling animals can be fatal.
"Dog's don't sweat and they must cool their body temperature by panting, and muzzling makes that impossible," she said. "I would also worry about them becoming ill and vomiting and aspirating it -- they could choke and possibly die."
Muzzled dogs also may have difficulty drinking, she said.
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
