(SIOUX CITY, IA) - Sioux City's pit bull ban went into full swing on March 21st, the deadline for owners to register and microchip their animals. Since that date Cindy Rarrit with Animal Control says her department has impounded more than 10 pit bulls from owners who didn't follow the rules. "They are immediately impounded, the owner has the option at that point in time to either sign the dogs over or appeal the process," she says. The owner may also see a ticket for as much as $150.

Four of the dogs taken so far were from Tanya Zeman and Anthony Krzykowski's Riverside home.  Animal Control says it heard a complaint about the couple's dogs and responded earlier this week. "We had no choice but to sign them over, is what they were telling me," explains Zeman. Her fiance, Krzykowski, was at work when Animal Control arrived at her house. She says the officer said he had to take the dogs, and needed her signature acknowledging it. "On the top part, there was a signature slot for euthanasia. He told me not to sign that part," she says. Zeman adds she didn't sign that part, because she planned to appeal to the city, even move out of town, in order to keep the dogs. "I'm not that naive to sign something without knowing. The only thing that paper said was the breed the age the sex and the name."

Animal Control, however, says Zeman's signature released custody of the dogs, giving staff permission to put them down. "We're running into a lot of people who are very upset and I sympathize with these people however you have to understand that we have a job to enforce. We don't make the laws, we enforce the laws," Rarrit says, explaining Zeman's dogs were aggressive. "Any dogs with aggressive tendencies we cannot with good faith adopt those dogs out."

Krzykowski says when he tried to figure out how this happened, he never got a straight answer. "They all had different stories, between the guy that picked them up, the lady at the desk, the guy that must have did it. They all had different stories," he says, "he told me that the dogs were put down and I lost it."

KMEG 14 asked Animal Control for a copy of the form owners must sign when Officers impound pit bulls, but staff denied our request.

It's a quick turn of events that leaves the Riverside couple "dumbfounded" and devastated, and looking for answers.

KMEG 14 will continue investigating this story, and will bring more details as they come available. Stay tuned to KMEG 14 and KMEG14.com for more information.

 

Reported by Jeremy Maskel. You can reach Jeremy at jmaskel@kmeg.com.