Animal-rights advocates protest Girard's pit bull law

GIRARD — Animal-rights advocates and city officials engaged in a heated back and forth during a regular council meeting tonight.

Activists, some of whom do not live in Girard, spoke out against the city’s ban of pit bulls as pets and called for the “tightening up” of existing tethering laws.

Council’s zoning committee has agreed to review the issues. Officials declined to immediately introduce emergency legislation, citing a need for more time to review safety concerns.

In other business, Auditor Sam Zirafi briefed council on various fund deficits, including a $96,000 general fund deficit and a $460,000 water fund deficit. Zirafi cited a plan to eliminate all fund deficits with two years.

Going into 2016, the city has total positive balance, aggregated from all funds, of about $762,000.