MORGAN -- When Morgan resident Braydon Deru got a dog from the Davis Animal Shelter, he didn't think a Morgan County animal control officer would come knocking on his door, telling him he had to get rid of it.
The officer, responding to a neighbor's complaint, told Deru that pit bulls aren't allowed anywhere in Morgan County.
In his defense, Deru offered that his dog was a pit bull mix. The officer asked him to produce a DNA test proving the claim.
"He's half the size of a pit bull. He's not aggressive," Deru said. "I didn't buy a dog to be a mean dog. He's around my nieces all the time."
The tussle led Deru to the Morgan County Council, which now is planning to review its regulations on pit bulls in the county.
"Recent legal research says there is no such thing as a recognized pit bull breed," said County Attorney Jann Farris. "We don't want to fight it if there's no such thing as a pit bull. It's hard to enforce (with) the way ours is written."
The county's ordinance puts specific regulations on pit bulls, requiring owners to spay or neuter them, keep them current on their shots, and provide $100,000 of liability insurance. In addition, pit bull owners must be over age 21.
The council advised Deru to secure a veterinarian's written statement about the breed of his dog while county staff further researches the ordinances governing pit bulls in the county.
In the meantime, Deru gets to keep his dog.
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