The McCall Police Department has begun issuing $50 citations to dog owners who allow their dogs to run loose in the city.

"Often times we can gain compliance simply with a verbal warning," Lt. Pete Rittenger said. "As anyone who drives around McCall can see, this strategy has had limited success, so when we feel a verbal warning will not gain compliance we usually issue a citation."

Dogs running loose in the city generally are a nuisance or are injured, Rittenger said.

"It is our hope that by issuing citations for dogs at large, we can convince pet owners to take responsibility for their pets and their pet's safety," he said.

Code enforcement officer Kenny Francis said he has issued two to four citations a week for the past month. Chasing down dogs and issuing citations to their owners takes up about 10 percent of his time on the job.

In addition to rounding up loose dogs, Francis also issues parking tickets and deals with various code violations such as unsightly lots.

Francis said he has only had one repeat offender since the department has stepped up its citations for dogs running loose in the city.

The citation is only an infraction, but if a dog bites someone or becomes a nuisance, dog owners can be charged with a more serious misdemeanor, he said.

When Francis finds a dog running loose in the city, he picks it up and takes it to MCPAW S Regional Animal Shelter. When MCPAWS finds the owner of the dog, the citation is issued, Francis said.

Francis hopes that the stepped up enforcement will make people take better care of their dogs.

He does not like issuing $50 fines to people during the holiday season.

The citations will probably not lead to an end to dogs running loose in the city, Rittenger said.

"What this does mean is if an officer responds to a dog at large call or impounds a dog, the owner will more than likely receive a citation," he said.