BLUE EARTH– The Blue Earth City Council discussed the fate of a potentially dangerous dog on Monday.

The dog, Bo, was declared potentially dangerous on April 7, following an incident in which he allegedly bit Blue Earth resident John Gieser. He was designated as dangerous on April 17, and his owner, Brandon West, was given a period of 14 days to meet state statutory requirements for owning a dangerous dog.

According to a report filed by the Blue Earth Police Department, on April 7, Gieser was walking his daughter’s dog on East Fourth Street, and West was outside with Bo on his own East Fourth Street property.

“West said that his dog took off towards Gieser’s dog and that he followed right behind the dog to retrieve it,” the report states. “West said that Gieser began trying to hit at the dog before it got near him.” 

It continues, “Gieser had picked his dog up off of the ground to prevent them from getting injured. Gieser stated that West’s dog jumped at him and the dog he was holding, and during this bit him in the hand. 

The report documents clear puncture wounds on Gieser’s right hand.

West and his partner, Elizabeth Ramirez, countered the report’s findings, suggesting that Gieser was not bit, but instead sustained his injuries when he hit Bo.

Immediately following the incident, Bo was placed in quarantine at the Faribault County Humane Society (FCHS). When West produced Bo’s vaccination records, he was released into West’s custody on Monday, April 10. Bo remained in quarantine at West’s home as of April 17.

West and Ramirez were initially served with a potentially dangerous dog declaration. However, the matter became more complicated when city administrator Mary Kennedy realized Bo had already been declared a potentially dangerous dog on Oct. 22, 2020, after an incident occurred on Sept. 18, 2020.

In a report to the council, Kennedy explained, “Because Bo has previously been registered as a potentially dangerous dog and the Blue Earth City Code states that a dangerous dog is any dog that has been found to be potentially dangerous, I am recommending that the City Council advance the declaration of this animal to dangerous dog.” 

The council voted unanimously to classify Bo as dangerous and allow West 14 days to comply with dangerous animal requirements. Bo will remain in the city’s custody until West has met the requirements. West will be responsible for the fees accrued by Bo’s stay at the FCHS.

In other business, the Blue Earth City Council:

— Passed Resolution 23-08 to annex a portion of the Township of Blue Earth City to the city of Blue Earth.

— Approved the purchase of a cloud-based access system with a striker locking system for the City Hall s exterior doors, which will cost $3,781, as well as an emergency lockdown button costing $400.

— Approved a purchase agreement for 103 Bluestem Drive, which Kevin and Annette Pevestorf intend to purchase from the city for $223,000, contingent on the sale of their current property in Chaska.

— Voted to press criminal charges against the owner of a property on East Seventh Street. The property has accrued several City Code violations.

— Approved a lease for Advantage Aviation Systems, which intends to lease a private hangar lot from the city to construct a commercial aviation FBO hangar facility.

— Approved a Conditional Use Permit for Steve Kittelson and Lisa Lindberg, who wish to install a solar panel on a lot they purchased from the city, which lies adjacent to their residential property at 1200 Oak Knoll Drive.

— Approved Nick Bleess’s retirement from the Blue Earth Fire Department after 34 years of service, effective April 15.

— Approved John Lindsey’s resignation from the Airport Advisory Commission, and appointed Levi Hendrickson to the Airport Advisory Commission.