San Diego County considering proposal for database of ‘dangerous' dogs

San Diego County Supervisors are considering a sex offender-style registry, but this one would be for “dangerous dogs.”

A Civil Grand Jury investigation found that dog bites are underreported, inconsistently dealt with by animal services and fail to inform the public of dangerous dog threats.

This is a tale of two dog bites.

In July 2023, a 12-year-old shepherd mix, Rambo, snapped at the face of his dog walker.

“He’s loveable,” Rambo’s owner Shirley Carlson said.

Carlson says the woman got between Rambo and a treat on the floor of her living room.

“He just likes attention, don’t you sweetie," Carlson said. "Doesn’t he look ferocious."

There are photos of the puncture wounds left in Terri Marconi’s right hand.

“It was very, very traumatic for me," Marconi said.

Marconi was bitten by a neighbor’s 90-pound cattle dog at Maverick’s Beach Club in 2021. She needed regular physical therapy and acupuncture.

“It was just really hard to deal with that," Marconi said.

Carlson says she was sued for half a million dollars. Marconi eventually dropped her case before it was filed.

“If he bites another person, he is supposed to be euthanized,” Carlson said.

The question remains, could any of this have been prevented with a countywide dangerous dog registry?

The Grand Jury found:

• 500,000 dogs residing in San Diego County
• Approximately 2,500 dog bites reported annually
• 13th leading cause of injuries in the U.S.

“Lets go back to the good old days, beware of dog. Service dogs have 'do not pet me' patches on them,“ Marconi said.

A “dangerous dog” is defined as one that inflicts serious bodily harm or bites twice in four years.

Virginia has a dangerous dog database. The public can access it on the internet. It has pictures of the dogs, their names and addresses. It also identifies the owner’s name, address and court filing.

It’s a lot of personal information available in the public court file but never so easily searched through this kind of internet registry.

“Put your energy where it is needed. Not on a dog that has bitten somebody, that it might have been perpetrated by the person," Carlson said.

This tale of two dog bites ends with a shared opinion about a dangerous dog registry: accept the responsibility for your pets and keep a respect for the dogs you don’t know.

For all the reported dog bites in San Diego County, there are surprisingly few designated dangerous dogs.

The Grand Jury found in the San Diego Humane Society reports for the last three years, 9-18 dangerous dog hearings  took place each year.

In part of a statement released by San Diego County, a spokesperson wrote: “The Grand Jury recommended a 'dangerous dog' database be studied to see if it is feasible. Animal Services will be gathering more information as directed by the Board of Supervisors last week.”