SPRINGDALE — A potential change in the city’s vicious dog ordinance drew the ire of several city residents Monday.

The Springdale City Council Ordinance Committee discussed adding teeth to the ordinance at the request of a resident that lost his pet to an attack by a vicious dog. Allan Mussler’s dog was killed by another dog that was later euthanized by court order.

Ernest Cate, city attorney, brought a revised ordinance to the committee that came from discussions at earlier meetings, he said. The revisions included requiring the owner of a dog that is determined to be a potentially dangerous animal to purchase liability insurance for $50,000 to cover medical or veterinary costs from any of its future actions.

The current ordinance already requires an annual permit for the possession of a potentially dangerous animal at the cost of $100, according to city code.

“We are trying to protect the majority of the citizens,” said Mike Overton, chairman of the ordinance committee.

Mayor Doug Sprouse said the city could not afford not to be strict with animals that are extremely aggressive.

“I hate to think that the animal could attack a child next,” Sprouse said.

About 12 people attending the meeting were concerned with the changes.

“What the council is trying to do and the ordinance don’t mesh,” said Charlotte Venable, with NWA Pet Alliance. Venable spoke against breed specific laws at an earlier meeting.

Michelle Wendell said she did not like the ordinance which was described as one strike and you’re out.

That section of the ordinance was already in place, Cate said. Several of the objections were not about the revisions on the table but instead were about the current ordinance, said Alderman Jeff Watson.

Courtney Kremer, city animal services director, asked for some of the items that were struck in the revisions to remain. That included requirements for animal pens and reporting the sale of potentially dangerous animals.

The report of a sale would help track the animals, Kremer said.

Overton asked Cate to include suggestions into the ordinance and bring it back to the next committee meeting, which is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Feb. 3.

In other committee action, a request by Ed Clifford for the city to help build a cover over four basketball courts at The Jones Center was tabled. The cover was estimated to cost $475,000, according to Clifford, the executive director of the center.

Cate was asked to investigate if spending money on the center, which is a private, nonprofit company, by the city would be legal.

A proposal to purchase snow removal equipment at a cost of about $157,000 was sent to the council with a recommendation for approval. The committee also sent to the council a proposal to purchase land on Glass Drive for the relocation of Fire Station No. 3.