Residents Urge Harper Woods to Act After Multiple Loose-dog Encounters

Multiple Harper Woods residents urged the City Council on an urgent animal-control plan during public comment, recounting repeated encounters with loose, unlicensed dogs and asking the city to enforce existing ordinances or create new rules before someone is seriously hurt.

Sheila Hakim, who lives on Little Stone, described a Dec. 2 incident in which two loose German Shepherds “bolted right to us” and repeatedly tried to get at the small dog she had picked up; a neighbor pulled the dogs off her but they continued to pursue her until a passing woman helped her into a car. “If the city fails to address this problem, it’s only a matter of time before somebody gets seriously hurt and injured,” Hakim said.

Other residents offered similar accounts. Juanita Music of Woodmont Street said Harper Woods has “numerous loose dogs,” some unvaccinated, unlicensed and unsupervised; she urged the council to create animal-control capacity to reduce nuisance complaints, traffic hazards and injuries. Lauren Mercer said a stray husky followed and antagonized her dogs on Eastwood and that initial dispatch responses left her waiting for help; she thanked a first responder who accepted the dog despite limited resources.

Several callers asked for a formal update from the council. Laurie Sheridan asked that the council provide a report in January outlining the city’s plan for animal control. City Manager Schimanski acknowledged the concern and said the city has been working on the issue and would follow up.

Why this matters: Residents described repeated, specific incidents and safety risks to older residents and to animals; the council did not take a formal vote on a new ordinance at the meeting but council members and the manager acknowledged the need to return with an update.

Next steps: Residents pressed for a January report; the council’s public comments closed without a formal directive recorded in the transcript.