Will N.J. judge collar Rocky after biting incidents?

An orthopedic surgeon, a former "Action News" reporter and a mayor all traveled from their well-heeled borough of Haddonfield to Camden County Superior Court, in Camden, yesterday to learn whether a "potentially dangerous" dog could shed that label.

The dog in question, Rocky, is one of four Rhodesian ridgebacks owned by the surgeon, Dr. Robert Taffet.

Ridgebacks, bred to assist lion-hunters in South Africa, can weigh close to 100 pounds.

Last year, a Haddonfield judge ruled that Rocky was "potentially dangerous" after hearing testimony about incidents that had left another doctor with 30 stitches, a 14-year-old girl with puncture wounds, and the family of former 6ABC reporter Susanne LaFrankie scared to walk the borough's quiet, tree-lined streets.

LaFrankie told the Daily News yesterday that her husband, Robert Principato, a radiologist, and their son, Michael, were walking their mutt, Charlie, near the Taffet house in September 2007, when the four dogs charged them, only to be called off by Taffet's wife.

"People started telling me about other incidents and we thought something had to be done," said LaFrankie, now a media consultant with a Sunday show on WPHT-AM 1210. "I'm an animal-lover, but the safety of the neighborhood comes first."

If they had been deemed vicious dogs, Rocky, Mack, Bear and Duke all could have been put down. Only Rocky was labeled, however.

Taffet and his attorney, William O'Kane, appealed the ruling and the label's requirements for Rocky to be muzzled in public and for a 6-foot fence and "Beware of Dog" signs to be erected around the Taffet property. That's why all parties were in court before Judge John T. McNeill, who pointed out that he once lived in Haddonfield and also owned large dogs.

O'Kane argued that the initial case should have been brought against the Taffets by an animal-control officer, not by concerned citizens.

He also pointed that the Taffets have installed a 4-foot wrought-iron fence and an electronic dog fence around their property. McNeill said he has seen the fence because he visited the Taffet property recently.

According to Taffet, Rocky has been a good dog since 2004, when he allegedly bit the 14-year-old girl, who was petting him, and hasn't left the property since LaFrankie's incident in 2007.

"The problem has been nullified by the creation of the two fences," O'Kane told the court. "Another year has passed without an incident."

Assistant Camden County Prosecutor Jason Magid argued that "potentially dangerous" is not a label that can be taken away from a dog.

"Not to make light, Judge, but you can't teach an old dog new tricks," Magid said.

McNeill agreed that Rocky hasn't bitten anyone in years but also wondered why the Taffets couldn't have bought a fence years ago. He said he would issue a final decision on the case tomorrow afternoon.

O'Kane and the Taffets declined to comment when they left the courtroom, as did Haddonfield Mayor Tish Colombi, who had sat in the courtroom taking notes.

LaFrankie, who sat with her children next to Colombi, couldn't believe that the case was still in court.

"I can't understand why it's taken this long," she said. "All I'm interested in is having a safe neighborhood. All I want him to be is a responsible pet-owner."