Residents of Susanville have been living in fear due to the presence of vicious dogs roaming the streets, and now the owner of those dogs, John Murray, will finally face the city council next week for failing to contain his pets.
Code enforcement officers have been monitoring Murray’s activities for a while now, and they’ve recognized that his home on 4th street has been a major nuisance to the neighborhood due to disturbances caused by Murray himself and his many tenants, as well as the numerous dogs on the property causing noise, odors, and fear.
According to Code Enforcement Officer Laughlin, records show that there have been at least 116 calls for service from September 2017 through August 2022, and Murray was issued a nuisance abatement order in that final month. However, he did not take full responsibility for the issues.
But the real concern lies with Murray’s wolf-dog hybrid canines, which have been seen roaming at large and chasing wildlife. This led to a public hearing on February 15, 2023, where the city council considered the dogs a public nuisance.
During this meeting, Police Chief Cochran revealed that he had visited Murray at his home, where Murray admitted to having nine dogs within his Fourth Street home.
Now, the city council will hold a final public hearing on March 15 at City Hall at 5 pm to decide whether a public nuisance exists and how law enforcement should proceed. This is a critical moment for the safety and well-being of the residents of Susanville, and everyone is encouraged to attend and have their voices heard.
