This Just In ...
Kevin Fischer is a veteran broadcaster, the recipient of over 150 major journalism awards from the Milwaukee Press Club, the Wisconsin Associated Press, the Northwest Broadcast News Association, the Wisconsin Bar Association, and others. He has been seen and heard on Milwaukee TV and radio stations for over three decades. A longtime aide to state Senate Republicans in the Wisconsin Legislature, Kevin can be seen offering his views on the news on the public affairs program, "InterCHANGE," on Milwaukee Public Television Channel 10, and heard filling in on Newstalk 1130 WISN. He lives with his wife, Jennifer, and their lovely baby daughter, Kyla Audrey, in Franklin.
Put a leash on this dog of an idea
On Sunday morning, January 25, Kathy Lueneburg’s golden retriever, Megan jumped over a fence at the Animal Campus kennel on Loomis Road. Megan is a companion to 17-year old Michelle Lueneburg who has Down’s syndrome.
The Lueneburg’s of Oak Creek were planning to embark on a road trip, but those plans came to a sudden halt and a search for 2-year old Megan soon began.
For days, Franklin police and an alerted community looked for signs of Megan. Day after day passed with no luck. Finally, after nearly a week, Megan crawled into a dog crate left by Lueneberg at the Polonia Soccer Club on Loomis Road. The ordeal was over. Megan was happily, safely back home.
For seven days and six nights, Megan roamed, no one knows where, but she was out there, somewhere……..without a leash. That’s right. An entire week, Megan wasn’t within 6 inches, 6 feet, or maybe even 6 miles of her owner.
Under a proposed ordinance by Franklin alderman Steve Taylor, this story would not have had a celebratory ending. Taylor wants a requirement that all dogs, cats, and even tiny horses, when off the owner’s property, be on a leash. That means that Megan’s owner, if Taylor’s plan would have been Franklin law, would have been in violation. Megan’s owner would have been the bad guy. Megan’s owner would have been the villain.
The Megan story clearly demonstrates what a farce Taylor’s nonsensical idea truly is.
Franklin Common Council delays action on proposed dog leash ordinance
Tuesday night, the Franklin Common Council put off a vote on Alderman Taylor’s proposed dog leash mandate.
During debate, questions were raised about the proposed ordinance’s effect on the two dog daycare facilities in Franklin that have dog run events and a possible dog park in the city. City Attorney Jesse Wesolowski answered that Taylor’s ordinance would apply to both the dog runs and the dog park. In other words, the ordinance would prohibit such events or parks.
Sensing his resolution would go down in flames, Alderman Taylor moved to refer his plan back to the City Attorney for review. Taylor plans to bring forward a new dog leash mandate, possibly in April that would exempt the dog runs and dog parks.
Even with those exemptions, it’s still a foolish idea. It makes me wonder what other similar plans Taylor has in the works. I don’t think we’ve heard the last of his unnecessary proposals.
The wise move for Taylor would be to simply withdraw the entire dog leash requirement and get his priorities in order.
Here’s more from FranklinNOW’s John Neville.
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