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Minutes - San Leandro City Council Meeting - August 19, 1991 Page - 8 - NEW BUSINESS (continued) Sandy Wilhide, Injury Compensation Specialist for the Oakland Division of the U.S.P.S. , stated that she has seen many dog attacks in her five years in this position. She described one pit bull attack on a letter carrier that required 274 stitches. She asked the City Council to develop tougher animal -control laws and to not allow vicious dogs to be returned to their owners once a dog has attacked an individual . She offered her services to the City as a liaison with the U.S.P.S. She also asked for breed-specific laws related to pit bulls. Council Member Santos discussed the development of the City's dangerous- dog ordinance in 1987 and said there was some question at that time as to what type of wording could be included in the ordinance. At that time, the ordinance was as strong as the City could make it. Steve Meyers, City Attorney, said, at the time the City Council had its hearings on the dangerous-dog ordinance, there was lengthy debate regarding whether or not there should be a breed-specific ordinance. He said the City Council 's policy choice at that time was to adopt a non-specific dangerous-dog ordinance, due to the wide varieties within the breed. He said the City Council had adopted the ordinance recommended by the American Humane Society. He said whether the Council has a breed-specific ordinance or continues to retain the ordinance adopted in 1988, the key to the resolution of these issues is enforcement of the ordinance. He said the City's ordinance gives the Animal Control Officer sufficient authority to seize and impound any animal found to have caused the types of problems described and to dispose of the animal in a humane fashion. Mayor Karp asked the U.S.P.S. to work with the San Leandro Police Department and Animal Control Officers to coordinate information and bring their recommendations to the Council . Dan DeMiglio, Manager of Communications for the U.S.P.S. , said that he was grateful for the time City staff and the Animal Control Officers had spent at a meeting recently and appreciated the City's concern regarding the issue. However, he felt that the City lacked understanding of the problem. He discussed at length the issues related to dealing with pit bulls and pit bull attacks, and asked for a number of elements to be included in a stronger dangerous-dog ordinance. Council Member Glaze said that San Leandro was one of the first cities to put a vicious-dog ordinance on the books. He asked for California examples to follow and specifics to address in a tougher ordinance. He said he believes such an ordinance must address any type of vicious dog. Mr. Mack said the Postal Service agrees with Mayor Karp's proposal to work together with the City; he has staff available to research the laws and would like to see language to include that a dog is not returned to the owner following a serious attack.