Monthly Archives: August 2009

Bucks County, PA: Advocates: Dog laws shouldn’t be breed-specific

Posted on August 17, 2009 by | Comments Off

Advocates: Dog laws shouldn’t be breed-specific

August 14, 2009 02:38 AM

By Gema Maria Duarte
The Doylestown Intelligencer

[...] That attack and two others since then have borough and state officials trying to adjust the state’s dog law to allow municipalities to create their own dog ordinances. While that proposed legislation sits in Harrisburg, the borough will enforce the state’s current dog law, officials said.

State law allows attacking dogs to be returned to their owners with a warning to keep the pets under control. Pennsylvania has a three-strike policy, which allows the pet’s return after two incidents unless a dog kills or grievously injures a person. A third incident and the dog is euthanized.[...]

Full article retrieved 8/17/09 from http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/news_details/article/28/2009/august/14/advocates-dog-laws-shouldnt-be-breed-specific-1.html

Advocates: Dog laws shouldn’t be breed-specific

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Posted in Pennsylvania, Whispers of BSL

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Yakima, WA: Is pit bull ban working?

Posted on August 15, 2009 by | Comments Off

How do you measure the success of a pit bull ban? In my opinion, it should decrease dog bites in the city by a significant amount.

Yet this news article doesn’t even mention dog bite numbers or public safety effects. Instead, “success” or “effectiveness” of Yakima’s ban is evaluated by considering the number of “pit bulls” being confiscated, housed at the animal shelter, and euthanized.

On top of that, the animal control officer interviewed admits that the ban creates a lot of unnecessary work for him; he could be spending his time doing things that actually affect public safety, but instead finds himself chasing “pit bull” ghosts.

http://www.kimatv.com/news/local/53261972.html

Is Yakima’s Pitbull Ban Working?

by Ryan Simms

YAKIMA — Pitbulls are filling up Yakima’s animal shelters despite the fact they’re illegal to own.

[...] And that leads to a very big question— Is the ban even effective? Zigan tells Action News reporter Ryan Simms that he believes it ultimately is, but if more people obeyed the law, his days would be spent differently.

“It would free up a lot of our time, because a lot of the calls we get about pitbulls turn out not to be (about) pitbulls.”[...]

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Posted in Results of BSL, Washington State

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Lake Cherokee, TX: BSL proposed

Posted on August 14, 2009 by | Comments Off

Crossposted from BSL Updates [NOTE: this article no longer exists on News-Journal website; link does not work]:

Lake Cherokee board considering ban on pit bulls

By RANDY ROSS

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Lake Cherokee might become a pit bull-free community.

The private lake’s board of trustees has discussed a possible ban on the breed, but the board has not taken any action on it, said Tommy Martin , manager of the Cherokee Water Company.[...]

Full article retrieved 8/14/09 from http://www.news-journal.com/news/content/news/stories/2009/08/13/08142009_cherokee_pit_bulls.html

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Posted in BSL Proposed, Texas

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Springdale, AR: BSL under consideration

Posted on August 13, 2009 by | Comments Off

Springdale is looking at either restrictions or a ban on “dangerous breeds,” specifically “pit bulls.”

The City Council holds regular meetings on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month. Regular meetings convene at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber at the City Hall, 201 Spring Street in Springdale.

Next city council meeting: August 25, 6:00 PM

Contact Info for City Officials

City Administration Building
201 Spring Street, Springdale, AR 72764
Phone: (479) 750-8114
Fax: (479) 750-8559

Mayor Doug Sprouse
dsprouse@SpringdaleAR.gov

Ward 1, Position 1 Jim Reed
9460 Oak Drive, Springdale, AR 72762
jreed@SpringdaleAR.gov

Ward 1, Position 2 Kathy Jaycox
145 Woodcliff Lane, Springdale, AR 72764
jaycoxbk@cox.net

Ward 2, Position 1 Mike Overton
3511 Normandy, Springdale, AR 72764
mike@overtonrealty.net

Ward 2, Position 2 Ricky C. Evans
1672 Colby Circle, Springdale, AR 72764
Rickevans1957@hotmail.com

Ward 3, Position 1 Jesse Core
3571 Hamm Lane, Springdale, AR 72762
jesse@jessecore.com

Ward 3, Position 2 Jeff Watson
1907 Pin Oak Drive, Springdale, AR 72765

Ward 4, Position 1 Bobby Stout
1470 Amy Circle, Springdale, AR 72762
bobbystout@cox.net

Ward 4, Position 2 Eric Ford
2524 Longwood Street, Springdale, AR 72762
eford1@cox.net

City To Crack Down On Dangerous Dogs

Options Include Pit Bull Ban

POSTED: 5:27 pm CDT August 12, 2009
UPDATED: 9:55 pm CDT August 12, 2009

SPRINGDALE, Ark. — [...] That’s why one of the two options being discussed is a city-wide ban on pit bulls. But Brett Harris, the Animal Services Manager for Springdale, isn’t sure that’s the right choice.

“If you ban pit bulls specifically, you’re leaving 50 percent of the problems out of the mix,” Harris said.[...]

The city is still researching all of its options and looking for public input. But the discussion at last night’s city council ordinance committee meeting showed that most members of the city government are leaning toward tightening restrictions, and not an all-out ban of any breed.[...]

Full article retrieved 8/13/09 from http://www.4029tv.com/news/20376223/detail.html

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Posted in Arkansas, BSL Proposed

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Ortonville, MI: City council to address “pit bull problems” (whispers of BSL)

Posted on August 4, 2009 by | 2 Comments

Next council meeting: 7 p.m., Aug. 10 at the township offices, 395 Mill St.

City Council members:
Kenneth J. Quisenberry -  President
kenneth@ortonvillevillage.com

Kay Green – President Pro Tem (on committee to study this issue)
kay@ortonvillevillage.com

J. Harold Batten – Trustee
harold@ortonvillevillage.com

Dan Eschmann – Trustee
trusteeeschmann@charter.net

Melanie Nivelt – Trustee (on committee to study this issue)
melanie@ortonvillevillage.com

Aileen Champion – Trustee (on committee to study this issue)
aileen@ortonvillevillage.com

Mary Kassuba – Trustee
mary@ortonvillevillage.com

Julie Alexander – Clerk
julie@ortonvillevillage.com

Ed Coy – Villlage Manager
villagemanagered@aol.com

Larry Brown – Treasurer
larry@ortonvillevillage.com

Village council: ‘Pit bulls: We need to address this immediately’

Susan Bromley

July 29, 2009 – [...] At the village council meeting July 27, several residents spoke out regarding pit bulls running loose in the village and menacing them, their children, and their pets.

[...] “We need to address this immediately,” said Councilmember Kay Green, who, along with Councilmembers Aileen Champion and Melanie Nivelt, has formed a committee to look at other area ordinances in regards to dogs, animal laws and regulations. They hope to have some proposals to bring to the rest of the council at their next meeting, 7 p.m., Aug. 10 at the township offices, 395 Mill St.[...]

Full article retrieved 8/4/09 from http://www.thecitizenonline.com/Articles-i-2009-07-29-230625.113121_Village_council_Pit_bulls_We_need_to_address_this_immediately.html

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Posted in Michigan, Whispers of BSL

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Denmark: Dog breed ban proposed

Posted on August 4, 2009 by | Comments Off

Unclear at this point which breeds will be included in the ban.

Too dangerous to live?

Tuesday, 04 August 2009 08:50

[...] A proposal to completely ban dangerous dog breeds is likely to go through parliament later this year after the third attack in three days.

[...] Spokesmen for the two parties said they would introduce legislation to ban vicious breeds during the autumn session of parliament.[...]

Full article retrieved 8/4/09 from http://www.cphpost.dk/news/politics/90-politics/46471-too-dangerous-to-live.html

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Posted in BSL Proposed, Outside of U.S.

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U.S. Marine Corps: Proposal would ban some dogs from base housing

Posted on August 3, 2009 by | Comments Off

Contact 1st Lt. Brian Block, Marine Corps Headquarters:
1st Lt. Brian Block 
Headquarters Marine Corps, The Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
(703) 614-4309
brian.block@usmc.mil

Proposal would ban some dogs from base housing

By Trista Talton – Staff writer
Posted : Monday Aug 3, 2009 8:02:49 EDT

A new Corpswide proposal calls for banning specific dogs and mixes of those breeds from all Marine bases as soon as September.

The draft order, which would be included in the Marine Corps Housing Management Manual, prohibits pit bulls, Rottweilers, canid/wolf hybrids and mixes of those dogs from being on “any Marine Corps installation, at any time.” The only exception would be trips directly to and from a base veterinary office, “with no other stops aboard the installation authorized.”[...]

Full article retrieved 8/3/09 from http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2009/08/marine_dogs_080209w/

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Posted in BSL Proposed

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Miami-Dade County, FL: DNA test fails to sway hearing officer

Posted on August 3, 2009 by | Comments Off

The dog in question has done nothing wrong. It is merely short-haired and somewhat “muscular.”

Dog Trial: Case Of Mistaken Identity?

Owner Says Miami-Dade Animal Services Has Wrong Dog

POSTED: Saturday, August 1, 2009
UPDATED: 9:44 am EDT August 3, 2009

MIAMI — [...] “Under the DNA tests we took, this dog shows four different breeds, none of which are banned in Miami-Dade County,” she said. Bardawil said according to the test results, Baby Girl is part whippet, not pit bull.

The results did not convince hearing officer Rafael Licea, who said the physical description of Baby Girl satisfied the county’s pit bull definition.[...]

Full article retrieved 8/3/09 from http://www.justnews.com/news/20247837/detail.html

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Posted in Breed Identification, Court Cases, Florida, Results of BSL

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Denver, CO: City council member considering pit bull ban repeal

Posted on August 3, 2009 by | 4 Comments

What is being proposed is still BSL, but perhaps better than a ban. Councilmember Madison, who is proposing revisions to the law, would like feedback from Denver residents.

Carla Madison
City Councilwoman
(303) 298-7641 main
(303) 298-9716 fax
carla.madison@denvergov.org

Additional information about the ineffectiveness of the Denver ban can be found here (scroll to Denver section): http://stopbsl.com/bsloverview/the-failure-to-improve-safety/

Pit bull ban repeal eyed

Madison works on ordinance OK’ing dogs, with stipulations

Peter Marcus, DDN Staff Writer
Monday, August 3, 2009

A City Council member is working on an ordinance change that would allow pit bulls in Denver.

But repealing the city’s 20-year-old ban on pit bulls would come with many stipulations, such as requiring temperament testing, muzzling the dog, and requiring special licensing and insurance fees, to name a few proposed restrictions.[...]

Full article retrieved 8/3/09 from http://www.thedenverdailynews.com/article.php?aID=5166

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Posted in Colorado, Proposal to Repeal

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Hutchinson, KS: Incident prompts call for ban on pit bulls

Posted on August 2, 2009 by | 4 Comments

Nothing official has been proposed. Please send polite, informative, helpful correspondence to city officials to explain why a breed ban would be unsafe, unjust, and unnecessary.

Next city council meeting: August 4, 9:00 AM

City Council Administrative Contact
Phone: 620-694-2611
Fax Number: 620-694-2673
Physical Address: 125 East Avenue B, Hutchinson, KS 67501
Mailing Address: PO Box 1567, Hutchinson, KS 67504-1567

Bob Bush, Mayor – Northeast District
bobb@hutchgov.com
4904 Cottonwood, Hutchinson KS 67501
Direct Phone: 620-664-6820

Cindy Proett, Vice Mayor – Southeast District
cindyp@hutchgov.com
513 E. Sherman, Hutchinson KS 67501
Direct Phone: 620-662-5605

David Razo, Council Member Southwest District
djrazo@wildflower.net
114 West 12th, Hutchinson KS 67501
Direct Phone: 620-662-8037

Ron Sellers, Council Member Northwest District
rons@hutchgov.com
3400 Thunderbird Dr., Hutchinson KS 67501
Direct Phone: 620-662-9510

Trish Rose, Council Member – City-at-Large
trishr@hutchgov.com
18 Countryside Drive, Hutchinson KS 67502
Direct Phone: 620-663-5113

While reading the article, please keep in mind: Mr. Glass has confused “nice, young couple” with “responsible dog owners.” Being nice and young does not a responsible dog owner make.

Incident prompts call for ban on pit bulls

(Hutchinson News, The (KS) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge)

Aug. 2– [...] Now, Glass hopes the city of Hutchinson will take up the issue of a possible pit bull ban.

“Personally, I’d like to see the law changed on pit bulls,” he said. “I’d like to see them banned. There are several other towns that have done it — I don’t know why we can’t.” [...]

Full article retrieved 8/2/09 from http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2009/08/02/4303666.htm

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Posted in Kansas, Whispers of BSL

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