LYNN – In an effort to protect residents and visitors to the city from vicious dogs, Ward 1 City Councilor Wayne Lozzi is proposing that landlords take out a $100,000 liability policy for tenants in possession of violent animals.Lozzi said the proposed amendment is a proactive approach to potentially control fierce dogs, instead of waiting for an animal to bite an unsuspecting person.?This will basically make people more aware of vicious dogs that live in our city,” he said. “Legally it?s tough to ban a specific breed of dog, but this would address any vicious dog.”Lozzi said the amendment, which was given the go-ahead by the city law department, would also be another tool for Animal Control Officer Kevin Farnsworth to work with.?We really could use more help for the dog officer since he is the only one in the city but, short of that, this amendment would help him cite the owners of vicious dogs,” he said. “I asked for a much higher amount of $250,000 and to increase the fines as well.”Lozzi said the proposed amendment would most likely make its way to the Ordinance Committee in May and then to the City Council for a public hearing.Farnsworth predicted that once a dog is actually deemed vicious, the pet owner would probably have a tough time insuring the animal.?How many insurance companies would let a person take out a policy on a vicious dog,” he asked. “I think people are going to think twice before they get a dog like that, or landlords are going to require tenants with vicious dogs to pay a certain amount more to pay for the policy.”Farnsworth said dogs are deemed vicious after a complaint is received about a particular dog, and a hearing is held at the Lynn Police Department to determine if the animal is in fact a threat.?After that, the dog can either be banned from the city or ordered destroyed,” he said. “So if a dog is vicious, a $100,000 policy is not going to solve the problem, but ordering the dog to be muzzled would. That way people would be able to tell if a dog is a danger and to stay away.”Ultimately, Farnsworth said the city needs an ordinance that just plain works and is realistic.?The majority of problems we have had with dog bites, the owner ends up not having a policy,” he said. “And you can?t get blood from a stone. So if this works, then excellent.”Acknowledging that the amendment could be difficult to enforce, Phelan said the goal would be to put some of the liability on the landlord.?We would also require that the city of Lynn be listed as a co-policy holder so that we would be notified if the policy was canceled,” Phelan said. “Now it?s going to be up to the landlords to be aware of what is going on at their properties, because right now they don?t care.”Lozzi said although several brutal dog attacks in the city have involved pit bulls in the past, he said it?s more important to not just target one breed, but all breeds in order to protect residents of the city.