Lakewood Civic

I recently reported that one of our neighbors had been chased by loose dogs while walking in Lakewood. The City of Baytown (COB) issued a citation to the dog’s owner.

The Lakewood Civic Association (LCA) receives numerous complaints regarding loose dogs. Several neighbors have been chased by dogs, fallen off of bicycles or have had to swerve off roads to avoid hitting a dog. Per the COB: “Your dog must be confined at all times, even on your property, by a sufficient fence and/or humanely chained in such a manner that he cannot leave your property. Failure to properly confine your dog can result in a fine and/or summons to Municipal Court.” Violators may be fined up to $500.

The LCA has met with the COB to  address the issue of loose dogs to protect our neighborhood. The city already recognizes loose dogs as an issue for all neighborhoods and is taking steps to prosecute more owners who violate the ordinance.

What you can do to help:

• If you have a dog, be a responsible pet owner and ensure it is contained at all times; either in your house, a fenced yard, or walked on a lease. Have your dog microchipped and have it wear a collar with a tag so you can quickly get your pet back.
• If your pet inadvertently gets loose, post it on NextDoor Lakewood and look for it. Do not wait for it to come home.
• If you see a loose dog, contact COB Animal Control via the Health Department at (281) 420-5384 or report it through the COB app. You can remain anonymous when making a report. After hours and aggressive animal attacks should go to the non-emergency phone number (281) 422-8371, unless it is an emergency then call 911. You can also contact the LCA board via the website and we will follow up with the city.

Fines for loose dogs increase for repeated violations. Most people in our neighborhood are responsible pet owners, they care about their animals and do not let them roam. However there are some people who purposely let their dogs out or do not adequately contain them. I do not want to see our neighbors or pets injured by loose dogs and I expect pet owners do not want to pay fines for letting their pets wander the neighborhood. Animal Control will be patrolling our neighborhood more frequently and responding to complaints received. They will be issuing fines instead of just warnings. Let’s be good neighbors and responsible pet owners and eliminate the problem of loose dogs.