City officials seize ‘dangerous’ pets

By DUANE SHERRILL / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard

Brian Caldwell and his children pose with one of the dogs that McMinnville officials have seized as a danger to the community. (Photo provided)

McMinnville officials have seized a pair of dogs they deem a menace to the safety of the community, while the pet owners say the city has a vendetta against them and is violating their rights as property owners.

The dogs, a boxer and a pitbull, are being held at the animal shelter, their fates in the hands of City Judge Tim Reed who will hear the case in the coming days. The judge can decide from fates ranging from return of the animals to their being put to death.

The animals, belonging to Brian and Aaron Caldwell of Cherry Lane, have been the center of controversy for many months as the Caldwells and neighbors have not seen eye to eye over the dogs. Brian Caldwell has been arrested twice over the dogs, once for allegedly taking a swing at a city meter reader who he said was trying to hit his dog, and once after one of his dogs allegedly bit the child of a neighbor. Both his cases are pending trial.

According to wife Aaron, she and her husband feel they are being ganged up on by lawmen and some neighbors.

“We are property owners and we still have rights,” said Mrs. Caldwell, noting they are looking into taking a lawsuit against the city and certain neighbors. “It seems like every day we have 10 police officers driving by here, neighbors filming us and now they’ve taken our pets. We’re afraid the next thing they’ll do is have them put to sleep. They’re our pets.”

Mrs. Caldwell also said lawmen had come to their home looking for marijuana recently. However, the officers found no illegal drugs, something Caldwell believes may have made lawmen angry.

“I think they’re mad because they left empty handed so now they’re going to show us,” Mrs. Caldwell said, noting her family does have a large growing room inside, but it is used only for vegetables and spices.

Mrs. Caldwell said they have tried to conform to city directions by chaining their animals and posting a sign. However, she said the dogs were collected anyway Thursday and that she was made to take down the signs she had posted.

In light of the comments, McMinnville Police Captain Bryan Denton said the city has a responsibility to take the dogs into custody since they are terrorizing the neighborhood.

“We believe these dogs are at least a nuisance and most likely vicious,” Denton said. “We have an obligation to the safety of the neighborhood.”

Denton said the city has several documented cases of the dogs being allowed to run at large, including two occasions on which Mrs. Caldwell was cited in addition to the arrests of her husband. Denton said the dogs have also killed other animals and posed a threat to neighbors.

One of the issues bearing upon the case is the Caldwells’ use of an “invisible” or “shock” fence which is buried underground and gives the dog a shock when it crosses a certain perimeter. However, Denton said the dogs have been getting through the barrier and that the city does not recognize such invisible fences as proper restraints for animals. Denton noted meter readers have been forced to read the Caldwells’ meter by binoculars given the threat of the dogs.