Vidalia — It won’t be long before the walking path at the Vidalia Riverfront will be off limits for walkers with more than two legs.

At Tuesday’s meeting of the Vidalia Board of Aldermen, Vidalia Police Chief Ronnie G. “Tapper” Hendricks requested the board adopt an ordinance that would prohibit pet-owners from bringing pets, specifically dogs, on the walking trail.

Hendricks said in recent weeks his office has received several complaints from walkers complaining that dogs on the path, some on leashes, tried to lunge at them.

“We’ve been having problems with it,” Hendricks said. “And it can be a safety problem. There are plenty of other places to walk pets.”

The board agreed.

The aldermen passed a motion that allows City Attorney Jack McLemore to begin the process of developing an ordinance that will keep pets of the walking path.

Only the walking path is off limits for pets, grassy areas will still be pet friendly.

Vidalia Mayor Hyram Copeland was clear to point out the ordinance proposal was not to meant to harm pet-owners.

“We’re not against pets,” Copeland said.

Copeland said he felt the ordinance would also help to prevent possible dog attacks on walkers.

“It could be a serious situation,” he said.

Copeland said the ordinance will likely be passed in 30 days.

In other news, Copeland said the city will start cracking down on abandoned and blighted houses and buildings in Vidalia.

Copeland said he has a list of 25 houses in the city that are on a list of buildings to be condemned.

Copeland said the city will begin sending notices to property owners informing them of the city’s plans to condemn and destroy the buildings.

If property owners do not begin repair work on the property within 30 days of receipt of the letter, the houses will be torn down.

“We want to keep the city clean,” Copeland said. “These houses can be safety hazards and fire dangers. We just don’t need it.”

Also making Vidalia a little safer is a new grant from the U.S. Department of Justice to the Vidalia Police Department aimed at finding missing children.

Hendricks said the VPD can now dial an 800 number when a child goes missing to enter a description of the missing child.

Once the description is entered a computer program generates a message based on the officer’s description and calls telephone numbers in the area where the child went missing.

The program can call up to 1,000 phone numbers per minute.

Residents with listed and land lines do not need to register for the service.

Hendricks said residents without a listed number, or that only use cell phones, can register for the service at www.achildismissing.org.

“It’s a wonderful service for us to have,” Hendricks said. “I hope we never have to use it.”