The death of a beloved pet mauled Monday by two pit bulls has raised questions about the effectiveness of the city’s dangerous dog ordinance.

A police officer who handles such cases said the ordinance had been used to officially list six dogs as dangerous since the law took effect in 1999.

But not every dog that bites is declared dangerous, he said.

“We try to look at each case separately and try to make a determination,” said Sgt. Doug Bell of the Lawrence Police Department’s animal control division.

This weekend, he said, police plan to complete their investigation of the death of Lancelot, a 12-year-old family pet attacked by pit bulls in east Lawrence. The 100-pound brown Labrador, owned by Rebecca Goodin, died later at a veterinary hospital.

The two pit bulls, Lucius and Attila, were taken from their owner and are being held at the city’s animal shelter. The owner’s name has not been released, pending charges.

After reports are filed, the city prosecutor will decide whether to press charges under the dangerous dog ordinance.

According to the ordinance, the city’s municipal judge rules whether a dog is dangerous.

¢ 6News video: Dog attacks bring talk of stricter regulations¢ Incident may push county to ban pit bulls¢ Pit bull attack prompts flood of complaints (11-15-02)¢ 6News video: Family dog killed by pit bulls (11-13-02)¢ Pit bulls attack, kill restrained Labrador (11-13-02)¢ City ordinance on dangerous dogs

If the ruling is made, the dog must be registered with the city and a microchip inserted under its skin to identify it. The city’s municipal judge also can rule whether to have the dog penned or euthanized. The owner may be fined up to $1,000 and face up to six months in jail.

Here’s a look at the six dogs listed as dangerous since the ordinance went into effect in 1999:

• Two black Lab/pit mixes were declared dangerous early this year after incidents in 2001 in which they got loose from their home in the 1600 block of Harper Street and frightened people at Memorial Park Cemetery, Bell said. The owner made them a special pen. He has not heard any complaints about the dogs since then.
• In 2000, Cody, a Lab/Chow mix, attacked and injured a dog that a man was walking near Lawrence High School. Bell said the owner had been “very responsible” and kept the dog restrained since the ruling.
• Thomas, a Pyrenees/ Huskie mix, got into trouble for aggressive behavior in 2000 in downtown Lawrence. The dog’s owner lived on 12th Street but has since moved from Lawrence.
• A pit bull, name unknown, got into trouble for chasing people on bicycles in 2001 near its home on East 13th Street. The owner has since reported the dog stolen, Bell said.
• Peaches, a Lab/shepherd mix, knocked down a girl walking her dog in 2001 in the 1900 block of East 19th Street. The girl’s dog was injured. Peaches has since been taken to Colorado, Bell said.
• Eddy, a basset hound, attacked a teacher and damaged her clothing in 2000 on Mississippi Street near Pinckney School. Eddy, who was “superaggressive for a basset,” was taken to Pittsburg, Bell said.