Farmer’s market dog attack spurs Watertown City Council discussion

City Councilwoman Roxanne M. Burns says the city should consider putting a leash on allowing dogs to roam around the Greater Watertown-North Country Chamber of Commerce’s Farm and Craft Market and other events that attract large crowds and children.

Ms. Burns brought up her idea at Tuesday night’s Watertown City Council meeting, noting she has had a difficult time getting out of her mind the 2-year-old boy who was bitten by a dog at last week’s farmers market on Washington Street.

While she’s not formally proposing anything now, Ms. Burns said that the council and the city should at least look at what can be done to prevent a similar incident from happening at the market or other public events. After getting several phone calls and talking to others about the incident, Ms. Burns, who is a dog lover and owner, said she plans to research whether other communities have anything on the books about owners taking their dogs to public events.

“I don’t blame the dog, and I certainly don’t blame the child,” she said, stressing that dog owners should have the common sense to leave their pets at home because they are placing their dogs “in an uncomfortable atmosphere” that could cause them to not act like they would at home.

It particularly bothered her after hearing the dog owner tell the media that the American bulldog, Breaker, is “a teddy bear.”

She brought up the subject for discussion to see what her fellow council members thought, noting that she probably made City Attorney Robert J. Slye “cringe” when she started talking about the incident during Tuesday night’s meeting. Afterward. Mr. Slye said he didn’t want to comment because he does not know what can be done.

Earlier in the day, Ms. Burns discussed the issue with City Manager Mary M. Corriveau, who pointed out that people sometimes take their dogs with them on charity runs and walks and to other events. Ms. Burns also noted that she’s aware of events that are organized specifically for owners to bring their dogs out in public.

Besides conducting research, Ms. Burns plans to talk to Jefferson County dog control and the SPCA of Jefferson County to see what they think. She suggested that the chamber consider establishing “an edict” involving rules about dogs attending the farmers market.

The 2-year-old boy, Indigo Mullin, suffered cuts to his face and needed more than 100 stitches and underwent plastic and reconstructive surgery. He was treated at a Syracuse hospital, but his condition was not known Tuesday night.

The dog’s owner, Melissa M. Felix, 279 N. California Ave., was ticketed by the Jefferson County dog control for having an unlicensed dog and that the animal “caused a personal injury.” She is scheduled to appear in Watertown City Court on Friday to answer to the two tickets. The 2½-year-old dog remains confined at the owner’s home until then. The dog’s fate has not been determined.

After the meeting, Mayor Jeffrey E. Graham said he doesn’t know if the city can establish a law to ban dogs at public events. He also wondered if such a law could be enforceable.

Mr. Graham, who owns a 16-year-old Dachshund, Zeppelin, that has been seen with the mayor in public, said he was at the Immaculate Heart Central football game over the weekend and saw several dogs with their owners, including a large Great Dane.

“I do think it’s probably not a good idea to bring dogs to events like this,” he said.